We Will Rock You: Drowse's Dynasty (GlobalForce Rising)
by Alongusername
Summary: After the events of We Will Rock You, the Prime Minister of GlobalSoft, Drowse, takes command of a weapon that leaves Planet Rock hanging in the balance. It's up to Galileo and Scaramouche, assisted by a colourful cast, to stop Drowse and finally bring the planet to peace. Contains several OC's and canon characters. Based on the works of Timothy Zahn and Queen.
1. Chapter 1

It was done, the day was won. Galileo raised his fist up in the air and said to himself "that was for Rock and Roll" as a crowd of Bohemians surrounded him with praise and laughter, claps and jokes. He smiled at them, wishing for each of there happiest new dreams to come true. Scaramouche was beside him, her deep brown hair blowing wildly in the wind...and her looks as true and honest as ever, she stood beside Grandma Pop, who was looking slightly younger than Galileo remembered. Her long blonde hair and floral headdress keeping a wise wisdom about her, Galileo managed to hop on stage to address the growing crowd of flocking Bohemians. He remembered the initial aftermath of the battle, he had sung like his heart, his life, depended on it, because it did. Killer Queen and her officers and been defeated, and ran away to who knows where, her once trusted advisor and police chief Commander Khashoggi had now turned traitor and joined the ranks of the Bohemians, and was forced to deeply apologise to each member, after the Seven Seas Of Rye had wiped them all clean, only to be restored to there rightful states by the music of Galileo and Scaramouche. A few moments after Galileo took to the stage, and was passed a mic by Paul McCartney (who had made it his mission to restore the great stadiums of the past, **and** find all the instruments of rock) Galileo couldn't say anything, the weight of the moment on his shoulders, he decided to try his best at a victory speech "Thank you all for helping me- I mean us" he gestured to Scaramouche and Grandma Pop, who were stood beside him, a few steps behind. "We wouldn't have done all of this without you, I know Brit and Meat would be proud of us if they could see us now" a few moments after the battle, Pop had sent Brit and Meat to recruit the final few GaGa Kids and show them the power of rock, and then set to work leading them in forging a new world, one that embraced music, rather than subjugated it. Galileo thanked the efforts of all Bohemians and they returned thanks back with shouts and cheers of excitement, they cheered for a while before Galileo gave a few final words "now I know these next few months won't be easy, but it's up to us to restore the world to it's greatness yet again...in honour of the mighty Queen" he said to amazing applause from the crowd. Scaramouche led him down the stairs as they walked out the stadium towards the camp that Bob the builder and Khashoggi had set up, many colourful tents were set out around the stadium like various odd sweets, they had used the grounds as a staging area to welcome new bohemians and give them a place to live for the moment, as Galileo and Scaramouche used Wembley as a HQ of sorts. Galileo gave a small noise to instruct the busy Bob to turn around, he turned and stood up straight to greet the new leader "Hello Galileo sir...good to see you, the camp is going well, Khashoggi will soon have a security perimeter set up, and then we can get busy with the real business" he uttered with a cough, Galileo glanced at Scaramouche, who only gave a short shrug and a verbal "Eh...Khashoggi doesn't seem so bad" luckily Bob didn't hear that, the things that Khashoggi had done to the Bohemians should have put him far beyond redemption, but somehow he was still working happily alongside the people he hurt and interrogated. Bob stepped aside as a busy messenger stepped in and addressed Grandma Pop "my lady Pop! I bring news!" Galileo let the man pass, he was shorter and had a light brown hair and pale complexion, but far uglier than Galileo, who took pride in that. The messenger addressed himself as Crazy Frog, and began to quickly mumble and chatter towards Pop, Scaramouche got herself in the way "hey now Frog boy, what is it? You seem nervous there" the boy nodded as Galileo took a step closer, looking down at the boy "it's the Killer Queen, Madame Pop, she's locked herself in the lowest vault at the Globalsoft Tower...your converted GaGa Kids are trying to work there way in, but it's no use" he concluded at a short sharp breath. Silence, Pop and Scaramouche thought for a second on how to get in there, Galileo himself was more confident "sure, let the MegaBitch hide" Scaramouche said at last, echoing Galileo's thoughts exactly "she's lost, I doubt she'll last any longer" Pop chimed in, Bob turned around with a small grin "yeah, she's the last thing Globalsoft have, we kill her, and we are the champions" he smirked, Scaramouche chuckled, Galileo shook his head "no" he said at least, as Bob and Scaramouche turned to him with puzzled look "we won't kill her, I want to question her myself" he said, his voice getting oddly more sinister, as all heroes did. but at that moment a familiar face came into the scene escorted by two guards, it was former Globalsoft Commander Khashoggi, he had still worn his uniform, but ditched the long coat in favour of a black and red lined blazer, with many silver buttons. He kept his brisk tone of voice with a slightly cautious phrase of speech "I'm afraid the Killer Queen is far too mad to be reasoned with-" he was going to continue, but Pop had coughed an interjection "then we kill her, and then we seize the Tower" she sounded more like a warlord than a hippie, but that was a feeling around the stadium, they needed to take down the last remnant of GlobalSoft and see that a better age succeeds it, Khashoggi hadn't finished speaking yet, so he cleared his throat "there is...one, who could live up to the Killer Queen's legacy, he was Minister of Defence at GlobalSoft and took my position as police Commander before I was exiled" he said with a heavy voice, Galileo took a curious step "who is this person?" He asked, Khashoggi gulped and lowered his sly voice, as if in fear "his name...is Drowse"

At the tallest peak of the tallest tower on Planet Mall, the flag of the Bohemians was raised in pride and unity, the flag was a crest of Two lions, crowned and perched beside each other beside a large golden ring, inside was a even larger and grander crown, and on top was a fiery Phoenix spreading it's wings. Sat beside the two lions were a pair of Fairies or as Scaramouche named them, Angles. The new Bohemians planted the flag and raised there fists towards it, showing the world that the mighty GlobalSoft Tower had been taken. However, several layers beneath, in the furthest bunker and the deepest hole, the faint sniffling and crying could be heard, along with ferocious chanting and pounding on a mighty metal door, secured with a thousand locks, inside, the Killer Queen sat. She was sad, for the first time in her life, she was scared, and cold, and alone. The brainwashed GaGa Kids had turned against her, her police had disbanded, her Commander had turned traitor, and her legacy was ruin. At the moment, the new Bohemians had managed to overpower her personal guard of the Super-yuppies with sheer numbers and worrying determination. One of the idiot teachers had been trapped with her in the Grand Vault, a tubby and short man, with a rather spirited black moustache. He held the rank of Captain back the old days of GlobalSoft, but had left to serve the younger cloned GaGa Kids, he was beloved as a grandfather to many children, but even his face was grey with worry. Killer Queen ran a slender hand through her long brown hair and pulled up her fur coat, it was deathly cold, and she had thoughts of killing the Teacher beside her, clawing out his eyes and brutalising him, just to have something to eat, it had been days. Somehow, the bloodsucking children, as she had imagined, were still pounding and trying to crack the vault door, if that was her on the other side, she would have radiated the room and let them starve...but these were children after all...stupid stupid children. The teacher had been leaning on the wall for a while now "trust me, your grace...soon someone will come for us, Agent Breakthru, or-" she held up a sharp hand for silence "quiet...I'm thinking here you oaf" she spat, every second wasted here was agony, while that pretty boy and his female were most likely setting right the world that was hers, or was once hers. The Teacher stood next to the Killer Queen, she was a sight to behold, even now, as a wreck of a model. Her pale and blemish-less skin was perfect, and her figure even more so, she befit the title completely, the Teacher was lost in her beauty for a moment, as many were. Suddenly, the vault shocked, and for a second Killer Queen stood like lightning, expecting the vault door to slam open be faced with a two dozen angry teens, but alas, none of that was true "What was that?!" She exclaimed, the Teacher resumed his stand, taking to the door to feel for any cracks "it sounded like...something coming out of orbit..." He said with worry, Killer Queen heard the scuttle of children, the Bohemians had fled, reinforcements? She knew exactly what he was referencing, she grabbed him by the little shoulder "no! You can't mean that! How would the Bohemians even find the Final Annihilator?!" The teacher shook his head "they didn't madam...the Transceivers have gone off" he looked to his transceiver communicator, the Bohemians didn't know how to work GlobalSoft Tech, that much Killer Queen knew, she glanced at the communicator in his hand "what does that mean?! Answer me!" She glared, the Teacher answered immediately "all of them madam, it's a Flash Signal" she knew exactly what that meant, the rage in her eyes showed it "Drowse"

A few thousand feet about the GlobalSoft Tower, a large black and sleek warship hovered above the Tower, it's curved front like a dagger blade, and it's side perfectly straight and narrow, with unmistakeable red indents and a snake-like pattern underneath it's hull. Some thousands of feet above that, was the Final Annihilator...it's colossal mass was enough to block out the sun and cover the tower in deep dark shade, a large yet small planet-sized station, it's creation done in secret, only with the highest ranking members of GlobalSoft privy to the design of a weapon that was made to destroy any hope of resistance. Standing in the bridge, a ghost figure, only escorted by two Super-Yuppies, a outline of grey tracked onto the bridge to silence from his officer, the Super-Yuppies departed at a wave of his hand as the Minister Of Defence, Police Commandant and now Prime Minister Drowse stepped forward and took a long elegant walk to the observation glass, a short, young, blonde haired boy, Flight-Supervisor and Lieutenant Eli Lambert, Drowse's personal aide, came strutting in wearing a light grey suit and blue tie. He addressed his aid with a slight smile while Eli presented a high-tech tablet to his superior "it is just as you predicted, sir" he began in his accent-less voice, such was his charm "the Killer Queen has confined herself to the vault, and hundreds of Bohemians still remain in the tower" he said at almost a murmur, Drowse looked down to him and gave a long nod "Pull the Red Special out-" he began to walk along the bridge "begin firing sequence, make it so there is nothing left of that building" Drowse leered forward to look down at the Tower, and the black battleship moving out of it's disastrous way, at this point, a gigantic crowd of young children and teens were on the roof, looking up in confusion. The Killer Queen hadn't given the order to unleash the Final Annihilator on the rebels at the time, because she considered them no threat, and was confident that Khashoggi and his thugs could take care of them. Since GlobalSoft's fall from grace the decision was made among the remaining high officers of the army, navy and parliament, to bring in the Final Annihilator. An operator at a control panel turned to Drowse "Final Annihilator charged, systems primed and locked" he nodded, Drowse smiled and thought of the Killer Queen for a moment, her utterly oblivious of what happens above her, and what her closest friends think of her. Drowse then thought of the hundreds of Bohemians who currently occupied the tower, there leader Galileo, and his confidence at there victory, all of that would soon change. His lips parted to say a single word to the operator, a word that would end the Killer Queen, what remains of her legacy, and the last reminder of the GlobalSoft Corporation "Fire" and with that, the laser beam struck out, making nothing but ash and death. Exactly as Drowse planned. The Killer Queen had died screaming.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Interference

2 Weeks Later.

"It's true, as Khashoggi said" Pop murmured, looking at computer screen that detailed the recent rises and falls in GlobalSoft stock, surrounded by Galileo, Scaramouche and a gaggle of Bohemians, Galileo leaned in next to her "are you sure?" He asked, touching her shoulder. The blonde girl nodded "about half an hour before the Killer Queen lost power...about 92% of GlobalSoft stock in weapons creation, mind-control propaganda, troop enrolment, and battleship workshops were bought out" she concluded, studying the vast array of charts and figures, Scaramouche looked at it from a few feet away as she lounged in a chair "bought out by this...Drowse?" She turned to Khashoggi, who had been eerily quiet "correct, he was a Minister in GlobalSoft parliament and Senior Commander in the army, it wasn't until he crushed one of the first tribes of resistance that Killer Queen took any notice, she raised him to High Fleet Admiral and then he was elected Prime Minister a few months later, the first of the position since the Great Cataclysm and the Last Song was sung" that mention silenced the room. Puff Daddy rose a shy hand "but...why did he come back now? Why didn't he help Killer Queen?" He asked, Bob the builder scoffed "because we would have smashed him too" Bob smiled, Khashoggi only shook his head, and clutched his hands together "he was most likely gathering forces in foreign lands, he has a whole continent to himself, you know, he calls it the Drowse Dynasty, or the Dominion Of The Dammed" Khashoggi explained, Bob grew a confused and mocking face "well...I wonder what that guy's favourite letter is-" he said, Jackson Five continued "he loves the D" she laughed along with a few other, but Galileo still kept his face, staring into the computer screen, along with Pop. The wisdom-filled girl rose from her seat, her floral dress looking long and elegant as always "the best thing to do is keep our foothold" she advised, to general knowing nods and agreeing words, Cliff Richard stood too "we've got to act, if this Drowse comes to the capital, then Brit and Meat are in danger" he addressed, Scaramouche rolled off the chair and stood up, adjusting her jacket "true, we've gotta warn them, they'll be in deep by now" she raised an eyebrow to Galileo, who after a few seconds of silence, agreed "right, Khashoggi...get me a line in there" he commanded, Khashoggi turned to his phone, and after a few button presses, he stopped "the frequencies are down...something must of fried the internal communication network" he said with a heel turn to Pop, who nodded and checked the computer "it's down too" she confirmed, looking back to Scaramouche, then Galileo "Gazza? What now?" Scaramouche asked, the boy was silent for a while, thinking...too late. The stadium was suddenly full of fleeing bodies, running children, a large bulky man charged in with a sour face "Galileo! Dreamer!" He barked, racing over with each hulking step. There leader faced up to him, Scaramouche standing by his side as the proud former police commander ran outside to address the crowd, along with Bob, Jackson Five and Puff Daddy, the bulky man bowed, his shaggy black hair covering his face, he caught his breath for a moment "Spice Girls, that's my name. I bring grave new sir...from the Capital" his voice was a low grovel, he kept his hands behind his back "it's the GlobalSoft Tower...it's gone...sir-" Scaramouche cut him off suddenly "gone? What do you mean gone?" She ranted, Galileo held her hand to comfort the raging teen as Spice Girls continued "Destroyed...utterly, hundreds of Bohemians...the Killer Queen, too" he shuddered, Galileo knew what had happened...at least he thought he did. The dreamer put his hand on Spice's shoulder "Who did this?" He asked, simply. The big man looked down at him "I don't know, sir...it was a shadow, a moon, a planet, something like that" he guessed, making everyone around him either scared or confused. Scaramouche found that hard to believe "A planet? GlobalSoft hasn't colonised another Planet...they don't have the recourses" She suggested, Cliff managed a thought "perhaps during there golden era they expanded...a contingency" Galileo furrowed his brow, and took a seat, so many questions he could ask...but none would have had any answer, maybe it was Drowse...but surely if a planet like that existed...the Killer Queen would have used it. Cliff Richard looked out the main tent "lots of people...I guess they managed to escape just in time" Spice Girls nodded, shifting slightly and wringing his hands. Among the group was Crazy Frog, with Khashoggi trying to calm the horde, helped by Bob the builder, who had managed to get a few of the injured into tents and out of the way. Galileo paced up and down the tent...suddenly, he halted, having made up his mind, he turned to Scaramouche "don't worry Spice Girls, we're gonna go to the capital, find Meat and Brit" he smiled to Cliff "and then we're gonna take it to the man..and we're gonna do it-" Scaramouche ended his sentence "Headlong"

At the end of long, black and white lined corridor, Eli Lambert walked down the chrome passageway in his shining black shoes, echoing as he walked to stand beside a door, intimidated by the two black-clad Super-Yuppies who glared at him as they stood guard. Inside the room, Drowse was no doubt informing the Ruling council of what remained of GlobalSoft, named the Section-Cheifs, of what had happened...the Killer Queen killed in a brutal attack by the Bohemians, savaged, and the Tower destroyed by there crude explosives. The guards had not moved for hours, this seemed to be the longest meeting Eli had ever stood outside of, nothing happened for a few long hours, to the point where the ever loyal Eli considered storming in there himself, but the dangerous looks of the Guards put him off. Eli wasn't much shorter than any other officer under Drowse, he knew that the Prime Minster demanded perfection from every man and woman serving under him. Such was how Drowse build respect among the chain of command, eventually becoming a rival to even the Killer Queen, until he was exiled and banished from the Capital, the centre of GobalSoft, and decided to make his own empire, the Dominion of the Dammed. Luckily enough, Eli was sent to him much before that, to act as a simple aid. But during the fall of the Killer Queen...the Ruling Council of GlobalSoft, the Executive Board, and the current Section-Chiefs agreed to allow Drowse a pardon and have him return for the greater good. No doubt for his strategic planning skill and ruthless tactics. A slight worried feeling hit Eli, he had been in there too long, and after the door snapped open, Drowse's tall and gaunt figure took a single step out, breathed, and began walking down the hallway. The blonde boy followed a few steps behind, finally getting the courage to ask, he slipped in beside the Prime Minister, passing him a tablet holding the latest figures "Did the Section-Chiefs accept your proposal?" He began with, straightening his firm grey suit, and adjusting his rank badge, Drowse opened his mouths to speak in his posh and intelligent tone "no..it appears they would rather sit and debate rather than take any meaningful action" Drowse responded, Eli rolled his dull blue eyes "Like normal then, sir?" He quipped, Drowse snorted and chuckled "Exactly like normal, Eli" as they stepped into the control room, the aid taking a few steps towards the window "So...what happens now? Without the Killer Queen...the government will surely collapse" he suggested, wondering if Drowse was even listening, he may look he like he isn't, but he was always listening, to every little word. After a few seconds of consideration, the tall man straitened his blue tie with flecks of red "the government will not collapse, Lieutenant, rest assured, not with me in command" at that word, the doors opened to the central command centre, and a stocky and bald officer advanced towards them, Drowse cast his gaze to the officer, whom Eli knew as a General in the army and battle-station operations manager from looking at his rank badge. Eli stepped back behind Drowse as a mark of respect, the Prime Minister rested his hand on his chin "General Rammstein, your report?" Drowse asked, the General said nothing as he approached, standing close to Drowse he looked up, his head pulsing with veins and his chin strong and toned, he cleared his throat "Prime Minister...our spies have confirmed that Wembley Stadium...is operational, sir, the informants are reporting that the dreamer intends to move on the capital" the words hung like a bad stench...Eli rose his eyes to Drowse, Rammstein had three Super-Yuppie troopers a few paces behind him "sir...I have contacted Captain Powter, the Red Special is prepared for transport, it's crew are all manned should you need-" Drowse raised his hand slowly, letting the emptiness of the room and the lack of voices fill the void, before he tilted his head and fixed his gaze on Rammstein, his voice raising a pitch slightly "nonsense, we don't need to scare them...we need a statement not a manifesto, hmm?" Drowse began, lowering his voice again naturally while walking up and down the observation deck "send some Gunships and squads of Super-Yuppies...kill a few, if you must, but we don't want a massacre, now do we?" Drowse rounded on the General, Rammstein was inclined to agree "no, sir, we want a statement" he quickly barked orders to some troops and followed them out the room, Eli was left with Drowse, who was now intently glaring at the door of which Rammstein entered from "are you alright, Prime Minister?" He inquired...the Prime Minister merely glanced and span on his heel, facing Eli "what was it your father always said, Eli?" That made the Lieutenant smile, he still remembered, after all this time "if you are far from your enemy...make him believe you are near" at that, Drowse only smiled.

Khashoggi paced along the border wall, observing the large cannons and handheld primitive rifles the Bohemians created, walking with two former GaGa Kids beside him, the police commander, now security officer, headed up the external defence behind Wembley HQ. He couldn't imagine the state he'd be in if he still held loyalty with the Killer Queen...she would make him chase rabbit and lost causes just for her amusement, she was always sick in that way. But somehow...Drowse was much worse, his love of art and literature, his undying respect among the Troops and aids, his vast fleet of battleships he called 'The 14th Fleet and 99th Task-force' meanwhile Khashoggi could still remember the moment the Prime Minister removed him from command, stripped him of his title, his rank badge and all pride and dignity he had left...forced to come crawling to the Bohemians, who luckily found a place for him. However what Spice Girls said to everyone in that tent hadn't left him, Killer Queen was dead, along with about five-hundred new Bohemians, now how could Drowse have done such a thing? There's not enough firepower in each of his battleships to take down the Tower, it has a built in ray-shield, so whatever Drowse used would have been powerful enough to instantly bypass it. After walking around and thinking of his many problems, on his way, he felt in his jacket, where he managed to hit something and pull out a memory-drive with the word 'Project Hot Space and The Made In Heaven initiative' this seemed far too important to not show and explain, Khashoggi wasn't privy to any hard information on weapons, especially ones of the higher, more destructive type. He had heard rumours of a such a Planet-grade weapon...the Killer Queen never mentioned it to him, ever. He walked in deep thought down the almost endless perimeter wall, nodding and glancing to the Bohemian guards who carried various weapons and marched up and down the walls and fences,coach guard had there own position number and unique name which Khashoggi had to remember, such a bore to him, he did wish they all still had only one title like 'GaGa Kid' 'Teen Bitch' 'Yuppie/Super-Yuppie' or 'Boy-Zone Boy' while lamenting on lost times, his thoughts wandered about his former life, kidnapping, killing, torturing innocents...he wondered where his former friends and subordinates in GlobalSoft are now, Agent Breakthru, Mr Ravenna, Lieutenant Nuce, Admiral Roc-Montreal. Suddenly his shoulder was tugged at, Khashoggi jumped and widened his eyes looking on a small girl with black hair, and a tiny figure, her bright blue eyes looked up at him with fear and innocence "Carsoggy?" She inquired, Khashoggi scoffed "it's Khashoggi...yes?" The girl pointed outside the fence, and showed him her phone...with a radar pulsing "we've got incoming" a boy behind her said, in a military style helmet, brandishing one of the long rifles "about twenty Gunships...and maybe a hundred or more Super-Yuppies, armed, and on foot" the boy reported, as many other Bohemians scrambled to the wall, climbing ladders and grabbing weapons. The helmeted Bohemian passed some binoculars to the Commander, Khashoggi looked though them to see exactly what the radar girl said, twenty gunships, packed with Troopers and bristling in turrets and weapons. The white-uniformed Yuppies carried there normal weapons, short black rifles with a charging rod and a single stubby scope, and the profile of many gunships as silhouettes in the sunset.

On the command gunships, a Super-Yuppie Captain addressed a profile line of five by three Yuppie soldiers, holding a command receiver in his hand, the blue stripe down his white armour showing his rank "Today, men, we take the fight to the criminals and traitors that have ruined our lives, sacked our cities, and killed our leaders. Behind the strong and wise leadership of Prime Minister Drowse, will we suffer this interference? No! No more! That is what I say! What do you say?" He preached to them, the soldiers all saluted and responded in one vision "No more! No more! No more!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Statements

By now, the gunships were only mere miles out from the first defence wall, Khashoggi oversaw about thirty Bohemians on the wall, all armed with some kind of weapon. He walked down the long wall and looked out towards the small army "someone should go and warn Galileo" he suggested, but that suggestion was too late as the army had closed the gap, red streaks of laser fire were blasting up the wall and burning holes in the defences, the Bohemians yelled a battle cry and began to retaliate, throwing spears and firing rifles, the soldiers of GlobalSoft were now firing back on the Bohemians...blasts pelted the wall and the fence, one striking almost too close to Khashoggi. The helmeted Bohemian had now taken the role of battle captain, crying for aid for the wounded and shouting for more weapons and supplies to be sent to the front, all of it reminded Khashoggi of his first battle at The National Museum...he never forgot that day, only a few months before his promotion to the rank of Security Commander. Meanwhile the Yuppie soldiers and there barrelling gunships had gotten closer to the dismay of there opponents, the Yuppie-Troopers had managed to set up a surrounding ring around the defence wall, and was pounding it from all sides, despite coming in from the front entrance it appeared there was much more Troopers in on the assault than Khashoggi initially thought, the helmeted Bohemian rushed over to Khashoggi from behind a defence post "Commander! The wall is holding, but we should work on a possible retreat strategy..." he advised, Khashoggi scoffed at that...with a twinge of slight worry still on his face "welcome to the limit soldier..." He grimaced, and finally gave in "what's your name kid?" Khashoggi asked, the boy saluted "Boy-" he said, Khashoggi cut him off "that's your name? Not very original now is-" the boy cut him off again in response "Boy George, sir" he lowered his hand, at which Khashoggi tilted his head with a small nod of mild approval as Boy George left back up the stairs and raised his long rifle to blast at a gunship, which had now began to lower Troopers to the ground, the forces surrounding them got bigger and bigger by the moment. Wiping sweat from his brow, Khashoggi knew what he had to do, getting away from the first defence wall, he opened the security doors and began to move through the defences and turrets inside and outside the stadium, eventually getting to the small camp Bob the Builder had erected. Striding inside the central tent, with the echoes of laser fire and bullets, explosions and screaming, Khashoggi slipped inside the tent to see Bob, Jackson Five, and Pop, looking over maps "Fools! Do you not realise that we're under attack!" Khashoggi cried, Pop slowly regarded him "we know...by now Paul McCartney, Scaramouche and Galileo have fled the stadium" she explained, Jackson Five pulled back her red bandanna for a second "we are buying them time to get clear...before the Yuppie's capture them" she told the Police Commander, who merely raised his eyebrows and looked as shocked as he possibly could "so...we're the bait?" That's what it looked like, meant to hold off the endless resources of Drowse, who no doubt is grinning from the foot of his gigantic spaceship, the Red Special. After thinking on it for a few seconds, Khashoggi pushed past Jackson Five to observe the maps "these are...underground tunnels, railroads" he blurted, Pop nodded "of course, years ago the people of Lon-Don made these passages to help ferry people across there capital. It's genius really, we found some under Wembley, so Galileo and Scaramouche are using them now to escape" she nodded as of her job was done, she picked up a backpack from under the desk, and fixed her hair, Khashoggi suddenly stopped her "what's going on here?-" just as he said it, an explosion rocked the room, Bob went charging out with Khashoggi, to see smoke rising a few miles away "that's the front defence wall" Khashoggi confirmed, Bob drew a shotgun from his back "we need to defend...as long as we can" he loaded his shotgun to Khashoggi's surprise, Bob then went running towards the smoke, against his better judgement, the Police Commander followed, the front wall was in chaos as they looked upon it, dead Bohemians were thrown around the field, Yuppie-Troopers firing away at anything and everything, in the field Bob could see his friends, Puff Daddy was fending off a Trooper with a knife, Prince was stabbing a Yuppie in the chest with a long spear...Bob jumped in with a combat roll and fired a heavy shell at the nearest Yuppie, knocking him back. Khashoggi waited, almost too shocked at what he saw...people dead, wounded, running, screaming, that made him remember. Back at the battlefield, Bob was down low, taking shots and reloading his weapon, a few Yuppies charged him, and he blasted them back in a puff of smoke and knock back, they went falling away. Jackson Five soon ran out with a combat staff in her hand, she flipped down and engaged the Troops, spinning her staff and disarming Yuppies only to sweep them or knock them out with a swift blow from her staff or a kick. Khashoggi drew his handgun...and sighed to himself, taking the stairs and starting to open up on the Yuppies, gunning one down, he took aim at the Gunships, breaking the cockpit glass with a well-placed bullet, the Gunships lower mounted turrets turned towards him...now was a good time to run, Khashoggi turned as he heard the turret guns wind up and open fire, pelting the ground in rapid gunfire, a few Bohemians collapsed, riddled by the bullets, but Khashoggi kept running, his foot caught on a rock and the memory-drive in his pocket went flying out...and was exposed to the blaster fire, scrambling to grab it, he found it at the foot of a Yuppie Trooper, slowly looking up, the Trooper looked down, and raised his rifle "Goodnight, sweet prince"

Two Super-Yuppies stood either-side of the door to the Grand Art Hall, a private collection of Prime Minister Drowse's personal trophies, items taken from battlefields or anything of interest, the room was soundproof, contained no security cameras and was the most fortified room in the Red Special Battleship. The guards at the door bore the symbol of the Red Special on there shoulders, a large stylised image of a snake, coiling around a guitar, one of the objects of freedom and rock and roll. On there other shoulder was the symbol of the 14th fleet, a small black circle with a larger white circle on the outside, crossed by a blue Lightning bolt. Behind the steel reinforced door, Drowse stood in the middle of his collection, looking at an extensive map of Wembley Stadium, he touched his chin in thought, as the door opened and Eli walked through, followed by a man with ginger hair, fierce facial hair and black battle armour...his rank badge was one of red, white and black, consisting of one black square, two white and one red, this man was an Agent of the Intelligence Devision, higher grade, his code name; Breakthru. Eli put his hands behind his back and stood formally, as Breakthru cleared his throat, Drowse took a few moments, to let the silence build before speaking "Agent...do you know what this is?" He always asked things like this, quizzing his guests, as if the opportunity to educate them would arise, Breakthru looked over the map, and replied "It appears to be a map...with tunnels" His observation made, Drowse nodded simply. Eli looked around the hall for a moment, as if it was his first time here, he was always stunned by the amount of statues, art, and items that held special places around the large marble hall. Drowse didn't turn his gaze away from the map for a moment "those tunnels...they are, in fact, railroads..passageways, escape routes. You see gentlemen, after studying the design of this Stadium, it became apparent that should we attack it...the dreamer and his female would simply evacuate" Drowse acknowledged, Eli walked around to get a view of the map, it showed the several layers of the large structure, packed up on each other, rows and rows of seating, with a large compound in the middle. Drowse fixed his eyes on the Stadium plan again "it's structure...invites entertainment, but soon, it will mean nothing but defeat...Agent Breakthru" the Agent stood on ceremony, saluting as Drowse turned to address him "Attack status?" He asked with a commanding tone, the Agent replied with formality "My Yuppies have been successful in breaking up the new Bohemian stronghold, sir, we have taken prisoners...and the body count is rising as we speak, but as you said...Galileo and Scaramouche did escape before our forces could reach them" he gulped, but there was no need for alarm, Eli cast his eyes up to Drowse, who nodded and turned around to the map again "these tunnels continue for...several miles, the next open hatch and station points are at St Andrew's Church and the Park Regal...old monuments, nothing more" Drowse consulted a map of the surrounding area as Agent Breakthru stepped forward "you believe that the dreamer is on his way to one those points? Shall I have my men block off and patrol those areas?" He offered, but Drowse didn't seem interested "in the last two weeks former Commander Khashoggi made a security perimeter that spanned around the stadium using the A404 leading to the A407 from Stonebridge to Neasden, and one of the dreamers companions, Paul McCartney, was an official at our Mail Collection office on Caple Road in Kensal Green before turning rebel...and if we go down from Wembley, following the tracks in a South-Easterly direction for another few miles...it arrives at Harlesden, a town in Kensal Green...which is noted on the Railway plan, only two stations away from Wembley Stadium...and is the exact district where that Mail Office is located...on Caple Road" he revealed, Eli smiled "you believe that Sir Paul will attempt to make refuge in the Office? Steal documents, even?" Eli suggested, making Drowse nod and ponder for a swift second "every scrap of information they gain..no matter how small, will put a dent in our armour and a medal into theirs" Drowse said, at a frightfully low and whispery tone, Breakthru looked over the huge board of evidence, character profiles, maps and figures, old data for reference, new data for facts, he took a large breath of air "orders, Prime Minister?" He asked, Drowse swept over the board "Eli, reactive security cameras in that Mail Office, Agent Breakthru, take a squad and cut off any non-essential railroad and passages, box them in" he commanded, turning back to a nonsensical art piece to study again, Breakthru nodded and barged out the room, leaving Eli to make amends "As you command, Prime Minister"

"It's been ages Paul...surely I can just ask Pop-" Galileo pleaded, but Paul didn't want to hear any of it "Most likely the Yuppies are still looking for us, that means they'll be all over any communication channels" he growled, Scaramouche turned on her heel and raised her eyebrow, as if she had finally had enough bickering, she lowered her voice as a precaution "I don't wanna seem a downer..but do any of you have a plan? We didn't when we left Wembley" she argued, Galileo passed her in a huff, his typical edgy and gruff stance was taken as he strode down the tunnel "We'll make a plan...or simply run, because baby, we were born to ru-" Galileo was cut off by Paul, who had got out a small paper map from his jacket "Look, this map was given to me by Khashoggi...it details the perimeter he set up" Paul piped, allowing Scaramouche to take it and look it over, her eyes scanning it like a hawk "and thanks to Pop's input it also includes the tunnels we are currently in" he smiled, Galileo turned around "So we can head to the capital?" Paul shook his head "no, we can't just stroll down the Main Road, we'll need weapons and information first" Paul walked down the tunnel to stand near Galileo, just as Scaramouche developed a small smirk "You've got a plan then? Finally" she breathed a sigh of relief as Paul swung his coat-tails back, a proud look spread across his face while he started to look up, noticing the colour-coded lines along the tunnel wall "I know a place, I used to work there back when I was a GaGa Kid" Sir McCartney explained, walking down the long and expansive tunnel, it was mostly grey metal, withering and rusting away, Galileo knew the tunnels as relics of the old days, when the Mighty Queen still ruled over music as they knew it...in somewhat admiration for the seemingly endless tunnels, Scaramouche shot his concentration "Penny for your thoughts Gazza?" She asked, bumping him on the shoulder, Galileo stuttered a reply "Oh-yeah, yeah more like a pound" he chuckled "it's just a wonder the old people made all this, it's amazing" Galileo stammered, watching where he put his feet, no doubt this whole place may have been bugged "Ain't it?" Scaramouche wandered...a little too far, she stepped up onto the platform, a long sheet of concrete several meters from the railroad, Paul took a few long quick steps to grab her pale hand "No! That whole platform could be under guard, let's stick to the tracks, please" he pleaded, Scaramouche slipped her hand free "Jeez live a little Paul, what could possibly go wrong?" She strutted freely through the platform and turned with a smirk "See? No problem" At those simple words, a long silver tube shot up from the ground, not one, but about eight, all around them. The tubes exposed a turret gun each "You just had to tempt fate huh babe?" Galileo fretted, Scaramouche turned around as the turrets all focused laser-sights on there chests and heads "My big mouth and me" she quipped.

Studying one of the huge art pieces in the Grand Hall, Drowse received an alert at the conference table, walking over with intelligent purpose, he pressed the call button "Yes?" He inquired, the squeamish voice of Lieutenant Nuce piped through "Prime Minister, one of our remote sentry systems was activated...in Stonebridge Park Station...shall I deploy a Gunship to investigate?" He shrilled, Drowse took a breath, and thought of his next words very carefully "Negative Lieutenant, it must of been a fault, a simple malfunction...think nothing of it and do not engage"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Awareness

6 Weeks Ago...Above GlobalSoft Tower

Aboard the Battleship "The Trojan Ram"

Khashoggi leaned in his seat, summoned to the HeadMaster's office, overseeing the National Intelligence Devision and the ORSF (Outline Region Security Force) had it's perks, but it also had it's drawbacks..this was one of them, Khashoggi felt his temple, it was just a report from the Parliamentary Committee and the Defence Office, he had nothing to fear, in theory, except the man giving the report. Wilhelm Matthias Deacon Drowse, a minister in Parliament, the Minister of Defence, creator of the Drowse Doctrine and the Drowse Initiative, and a Lord-Commandant in the Intelligence Devision and only recently made Fleet Admiral, due to a preemptive strike on a growing Bohemian cell had led to fast promotion among the ranks of GlobalSoft, and the Killer Queen's favour. Looking out the window of the small meeting room, the Red Special loomed in the distance, it was a Vision-Class Dreadnought, a Battleship Galactic-72 series warship, it's black and sleek new look resembling a huge shadow in the clouds, fresh from the secret warship creation facility in Manchester and gifted to another one of the Fleet Admirals, by the name of Reinhold Richards, one of the thirteen members of the Future Council and a member of the Section-Chiefs. But that starship was the envy of every passing officer who glanced upon it, at a length of 18.5 kilometres with a total of eight engine pods burning a fiery red-orange, with a heavy armament of 650 heavy laser cannons, all automated, 700 sub-light laser cannons, 85 ion disabler cannons, 55 tractor beams projectors lined on it's hull and an impressive 6 Light-Speed dampening domes...all that, and it's construction only took nine months, a time when Khashoggi was still a bright-eyed young Captain in the Intelligence Service, learning from his Father Jonathan Khashoggi, a Supervisor-General who served a young yet reckless Killer Queen and later went on to become the General-Director of the Intelligence Devision, gone were those days of peace and a new GlobalSoft regime, now there was chaos, with the now Commander Khashoggi responsible for wrangling the growing Bohemian threat, this report was the last thing he needed. The door slid open and footsteps turn into the room, Khashoggi stood from his chair as a half-handed mark of respect, personally, he couldn't care less for this man or his Committee, but it would look good to receive high scores for his punctuality. Drowse was a taller man, taller than Khashoggi, and towering over the average Yuppie guard, the Minister was dressed in a dark grey three-piece suit, a dull blue shirt underneath and a striped blue tie, with a rank badge of a Fleet Admiral pinned to the left breast of his suit, three blue squares and two yellow on his top row, and three blue and two red on the bottom row...Khashoggi only ever received one row at the measly Commander rank and hadn't been promoted since he took command of the G.R.A.B squad (General Reconnaissance And Bodyguard) he was hoping for General or even a more trivial position like Deputy-Director or Surface Marshal. Drowse lowered his eyes to Khashoggi...waiting for the first word, Khashoggi threw on his fake tone of appeasement "Lord-Commandant...or is it Fleet Admiral? Minister? Too many titles for my liking" Khashoggi smiled, tilting his head and fixing his slicked hair, Drowse gave a sympathetic smile, as if he stared at a tramp "Minister...is my preferred title" He shot back, laying a small pile of official looking papers on the shining silver table "My analysis..in short" Drowse informed, Khashoggi had to stop himself from scoffing and laughing in the man's face "-and I thank you for being thorough with my operation" He nodded, to Drowse's equal expression "Oh please, I found it most informative, it's rare I see a Devision managed so meticulously" he complimented, Khashoggi almost started to speak his rebuttal, but was shocked to find Drowse's opening remark to be a pleasant one, this would be easier than he thought as he took his sunglasses down from his head and cleaned them with a rag in his pocket and took a sip of water as Drowse continued his evaluation "Meticulous it was...under your Father's command, it's a shame I cannot say the same for his offspring" Drowse's gaze leered from the window to Khashoggi, the dead-eyed and shark like stare caught him off-guard, making the man nervous, he took another sip of water "My Father was a respected man" Khashoggi began "I'm sure with the-" Drowse scoffed at his plea and produced a short and faint laugh "You are lucky...ignoring base command protocol, ignoring a direct order from a superior officer, wasting valuable recourses, failing to contact the OART (Outline Anti-Rebellion Taskforce) I doubt your father would let any of that happen under his watch, it's almost like you want a tribunal" Drowse rounded on Khashoggi, placing his hand on the desk, making the Police Commander flinch and suddenly stand a little straighter "I dispute that" Khashoggi blurted, leaving Drowse to finally show a true smile "Yes, well the fact's don't...shall we take a seat?" He offered, much to Khashoggi's greater annoyance.

Present Day.

"Khashoggi? Yo Kassy!" Jackson Five grunted and slapped him around the face, bringing the knocked out man to life with a yelp, Bob the Builder stopped picking up broken weapons and turned "Good morning...how was your nap?" He said with a sarcastic tinge, making the Police Commander moan in his half-slumber, slowly rubbing his eyes, he sat up. Viewing the sight before him was the biggest shock, the defence wall was torn apart, with a large hole in it's middle, dead bodies of Yuppies and Bohemians strung next to their broken and snapped weapons, everywhere he looked was people empaled on spears or riddled in laser blast holes, Bob was finding and collecting weapons off the ground, and putting them into a wheelbarrow, Jackson Five was casually sat on a downed gunship carcass, with the pilot hanging out of the smashed cockpit, a knife embedded in his face. Khashoggi's initial thought was that they had won, yet the apparent lack of living and moving Bohemians soon became too obvious not to speak of it "What happened?" He asked and requested an answer after a few seconds of silence, Jackson Five gave a face of general disgust and glanced at Bob, who decided to answer "We didn't stand a chance...they had everything planned, after breaking the wall they picked us off...you were knocked out by one of the Troopers, we've got about 33 dead...even more wounded" he trailed off as Khashoggi suddenly has a thought...the memory-drive, he scrambled on the ground, feeling the hard brown dirt and rough sand..on all fours he started to claw and scrape for it, but it was no where to be found. Jackson Five looked down at him in puzzlement "Excuse me..I don't mean to interrupt this psychotic episode, but what the hell are you doing?" She groaned, but Khashoggi only slumped to the ground, and coughed. Bob then turned "You okay?" He said with relatively worrying interest, Khashoggi looked up and roared in rage, screaming to the heavens, the sound of his anguish echoed through Wembley as he stopped and breathed heavily "There..there was a FlashDrive...containing secret projects the Killer Queen had-" He explained, Bob stepped forward "You just found this?" Khashoggi waved his hand aggressively at him "I had it with me...I was going to show it to Galileo and Pop, but then the Yuppies attacked, and it was stolen from me during the assault, most likely" He confessed, Bob put his head in his hands, and Jackson Five had a phrase of aggression about to spill..but she held it in, as Bob tutted to himself "We better tell Pop if she hasn't left already" that made Khashoggi stand, he knew that blonde haired vixen was up to something, she was already prepared to leave when Khashoggi confronted them about the attacked. Bob turned his head to address Jackson Five "Five, check all the breaches, knife any surviving Yuppies cool?" He urged, making the graceful girl leap from the downed gunship and grinned at him "Cool as ice, my G" she stepped back and drew a short serrated knife from a sheath on her hip and went walking out the nearest hole in the defence wall "Charming isn't she?" Khashoggi said with an eye roll, as Bob the Builder led him to the command tent in the centre compound of Wembley, where Cliff Richard, Boy George, Spice Girls and a taller boy in some circular sunglasses were gathered around a table, drinking beer and trading cards, Khashoggi pushed passed Bob and swept the cards out from their hands, to much chagrin "Where's Grandma Pop?" He demanded, Cliff Richard rose from his seat "she's long gone, said Brit and Meat are on there way back from Capital now, she's gonna meet them half way" The table nodded and made phrases of agreement, making Khashoggi ever more furious at them "So? That doesn't mean we can wallow away in her stead" Khashoggi made a fair point, but the table didn't seem to agree, they had become complacent in there supposed victory over GlobalSoft, despite the fact that Wembley had only just been ravaged and luckily the Yuppie-Troopers had fled at just the right moment, inflicting only a short stab of damage...this wasn't meant to be a full attack, or Drowse would have used the exact weapon he used to end the GlobalSoft. Boy George stood up in frustration "Look, Galileo said he was going to the Capital, now Pop said she's going too...someone ain't telling the truth...something's up I know it" he theorised, Cliff turned his head to regard Boy, he nodded and then fixed his pseudo-drunk gaze on Khashoggi "Besides, who's going to lead us? The dreamer and his emo goth chick ran away, so who's in charge?" There was a scuffle at the table, and Khashoggi saw fit to end it "I'll take charge" he said in defiance, bowing up his chest to make himself look taller, and standing a little straighter. Bob the Builder eyed Cliff, then all his companions at the broken table, these next few moments could make or break his public opinion and his reputation "I believe in him...Khashoggi is a new man, if he says he can lead us, then he can"

After a couple of horribly brief seconds...the turrets didn't immediately fire. Galileo winced for a world of pain and for his body to be mauled and shot up by a thousand laser blasts at once, and to hear the screams of Scaramouche, his beloved, and Paul McCartney, his second in command and trusted friend. Scaramouche opened her black-lined eyes, and glanced around "Ermmm...we aren't dead" she coughed, Paul overused the situation himself "Motion sensors..either of us move, and we are all dead" he cautioned..making Galileo sigh and freeze in his place "So...how are we all doing?" His attempt at humour didn't do anything to help the predicament. Most likely Wembley was in ruins, his friends either captive or dead, in his mind whatever had happened to the GlobalSoft Tower had happened to Wembley. It seemed like this was the end, he felt the earth moving...until Scaramouche ducked and threw down some small round devices that began to pulse yellow and puff out rapid streams of smoke, blurring the laser sights of the turrets "Down!" She ordered, as grey smoke filled the tunnel, red flashes shot from the turrets, making mechanical sounds as a hail of laser blasts made Galileo leapt to the ground and start to crawl...the blazing smoke filled his lungs as the red flashes kept on coming above him, lasers shot around him, hitting walls and scorching anything it touched. Crawling like a baby, Galileo only just managed to reach a door, it opened and a swift hand took him by the wrist, and pulled him through...after his eyes adjusted, he saw the defined and friendly face of Scaramouche staring back at him, a smug grin on her face "Cool huh? Instant smoke projectors, the GlobalSoft police used them for crowd control back in the day" she smiled again, surely she had got that device from Khashoggi, he was constantly trying to get closer to Scaramouche, that was worrying for more than one reason. Paul opened the door and coughed, he staggered from the doorway, slamming it behind him "We need to keep moving, the Office is nearby, I know it" he uttered at a growl, coughing form the smoke, but he was straight to business as always, as he started to stride through the tunnel, Galileo walked beside Scaramouche, who was cutely twirling a strand of hair, whistling to herself, Galileo smirked to himself, she was a gem to him, a real diamond in the rough. Once they reached a few strand of walkways, Paul stopped them and looked around "We're close...I know we're close" drawing a torch from his pocket, he turned it on and pointed it above him and down the passage "There should be a hatch somewhere here.." He said in a searching tone, making Scaramouche shiver, the cold was undeniable, in the lonely and dark tunnels the lack of heat was inescapable. Galileo's eyes flickered around the tunnel, imaging shadows every second. His awareness was much more heightened now, one with the source of Rock and Roll, he could sense peoples connection with it, and he only felt Scaramouche and Paul near him...his powers were a work-in-progress, but he did have some sort of gift, that was certainly true. His mind wandered to this Drowse, Khashoggi spoke of him like he would the Reaper, surely this man wasn't as fearsome as the cowardly officer spoke? Scaramouche looked behind her suddenly "Did you hear that?" She asked, Galileo turned his head also "No..."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Installations

In the front docking bay of the Red Special, Eli Lambert attempted to stand as studiously as possible, the 9th Fleet had been summoned and had arranged to join Drowse in meeting with the Section-Chiefs again, in hope that with support, he'll be granted the position of Supreme Commander of the remnant of GlobalSoft, with that much power there would be no reason to hold back on anything..no need to consult a council or argue with some Director or other, everything could be done from the foot of the Final Annihilator, which Drowse had requested be put back in orbit again. After what felt like an age of waiting, the outline of a white Q-Model shuttle came into view, it's white slender profile and short elegant wings made it almost glide in the open air, it's large and spiderweb like cockpit helped reflected off the light of the sunset, behind it was a more grizzly picture, four Innuendo-1-Class cruisers all lined up and advancing slowly towards the Red Special...their names Eli had remembered; Ulysses, The Kingfisher, The Galt and The Wilmington. Meanwhile the Red Special was flanked by two smaller cruisers, named Bloodhound 2 and The Vindicator, after Eli signalled to the Deck Officer, who sent out two lines of 20 white armoured Yuppie-Troopers, all marching out and forming straight lines of bodies to stand on ceremony to welcome the Officials of the 9th Fleet, as well as the representative of GlobalSoft Parliament and Khashoggi's successor as the Police Commissioner-Commander, somehow, Khashoggi's replacement had managed to also gain the title of Director of intelligence from Khashoggi senior. The shuttle swooped in and it's wings folded up to land in the docking bay, Eli swallowed as the ramp opened and two blue striped Yuppie Captains walked out and guarded the ramp as a striking woman in a red suit similar to Eli's took first departure down the ramp, the only features worth of notice was her quick and sly eyes, one of blue and the other of a bright green, her short ginger hair with a long white streak barely touched her shoulders and the rank badge at her chest showed her to be a Minister. She was followed by a long faced, moustached man in a grey suit of the Navy, this must have been the 9th Fleet's Admiral. The last man to emerge from the shuttle was a swaggering pale faced man, he wore the rank badge of Director and had a long white and silver lined cape clasped to his cream coloured suit, he was followed by two black armoured Super-Yuppies and the infamous G.R.A.B Squadron, a special forces group comprised of four elite commandos sworn to the security service. These three individuals held power of the Advance Weapons Research Department, the ORSF and one of the most respected and admired Naval Fleet's in the world, the Admiral made a nervous glance as the woman in red advanced towards Eli, speaking in one of the most defined and aristocratic voices Eli had ever heard as she strode towards him "You, where is Prime Minister Drowse?" She demanded, Eli cleared his throat "Minister Kintyre..Welcome to the Red Special" he announced, to a sharp look from the Minister, Arlene Kintyre was one of Drowse's foreign allies from his time in the Dominion of the Dammed, she held the GolbalSoft Parliament until his return and was in high regard with the Killer Queen. The man beside her brushed his moustache and adjusted his military style cap, bearing the logo of the 9th Fleet, a single white triangle, with a beam of gleaming light hitting one side, and a rainbow of colours coming out the other side. Kintyre pushed passed Eli to address the Deck Officer and her Admiral followed, clearly she was in charge of the transition of the 9th Fleet into the 14th Fleet. Eli was left with the new Police Commander, who was oddly quiet, the elite commandos behind him were conversing with the Yuppie Captains, the Director smiled at Eli "I understand GlobalSoft High Command has a bad track record at keeping Police Commander's at their posts" he complained with a dry wit, Eli was almost taken aback by that. "I guess you could say that...Eli Lambert, Flight-Supervisor and Lieutenant to Prime Minister Drowse" He said, extending a hand, the new Direct-Commander smiled, showing a few sly white teeth as he took Eli's hand for a brief shake "Cosmos, Darren Cosmos" He grinned, taking a few casual steps back "I'll be taking control of the security force in the capital I suppose" he said at a joyful and upbeat tone, this man reminded Eli of his brother, with the look of a cocky man but a faint stench of uncertainty. By now Minister Kintyre had managed to half bully and half negotiate to see Drowse directly, and was being led away with her Admiral companion, Eli turned his head to Cosmos "Yes...but Drowse wants you to join the hunt for the dreamer and his friends first" Eli explained, making Cosmos snicker "Rest assured...the Bohemians will not survive, Khashoggi was weak, he lacked the ruthlessness...I won't make the same mistake. I won't sit issuing orders from a command ship like Roc-Montreal or Rammstein...when Galileo dies, his last sight will be me...putting the gun to his head" and with that chilling line, Direct-Commander Cosmos swept past Eli, his Super-Yuppies following unquestionably behind him. Footsteps were heard behind Eli, making him glance, the skinny figure of Lieutenant Nuce appeared behind him "Eli..our Yuppie legions have fled from Wembley as ordered...and Agent Breakthru is on route to the Mail Collection Office, he wanted me to inform Drowse-" Eli held up a hand and placed it on Nuce's shoulder to calm the jittering man "Calm yourself, I'll tell Drowse, keep monitoring communications...track any survivors"

Pop kept walking, she was mere miles from Wembley, aiming to get as far as she could, there was still a mystery to be solved. Leaving behind her friends wasn't an easy decision to make, only saying goodbye to Jackson Five and Bob before she took the long walk into the wilderness. Feeding them the lie of going to the capital to see Brit and Meat was even easier to do, in truth, the Vi-Deo Ta-pe from the Rebel Archive showed her more than the fate of the Mighty Queen...it had shown her the infinite possibility of music, it's power was always there, it had shown that many times...the Last Song, the defeat of the Killer Queen, and now the New Bohemian uprising, there was power behind song. The Vi-Deo Ta-Pe had shown her it all, how it could be used...and now it was her quest to horde and guard the final instruments of rock, despite Paul McCartney's mission, a secret meeting had switched their adjectives, just in case the spies among them would run and tell Drowse. Reaching another mile marker...Pop pulled up her coat hood, striding further into the wasteland, hearing the faint hum of radiators and satellites placed up and down the barren expanse. She had buried her communicator with her headdress and her floral dress, which had been burned in favour of a flowing black garb, a long black coat and short burgundy boots, her hair had been dyed black, for fear she'd be recognised by anyone on her journey. Removing the Vi-Deo Ta-pe from her satchel, she stared at it's majesty for a moment, admiring it. It had been her life ever since she fled from the Rebel Archives...even now she didn't know what had happened to that place, after Khashoggi captured her, the library had fallen to the study of some Doctrine or Initiative or other. Overhearing conversations among her guards aboard the Trojan Ram had said many things in between her interrogations, apparently the whole collection had been transferred to some collector's private stock in another one of the GlobalSoft Fleets, she had heard many more stories since then. Drowse was one of the names Khashoggi frequented when chatting among his underlings, she had heard of a supposed rebellion inside GlobalSoft during her time as Khashoggi's prisoner...a high ranking Fleet Admiral called Reinhold had supposedly been found with documents plotting a insurrection against the Killer Queen, luckily, or rather unluckily, the brand new Fleet Admiral Drowse found the documents and presented them to the Killer Queen in person, who gave Drowse the full order to arrange Reinhold's assassination, which Drowse did immediately. Khashoggi's anger fuelled from the fact that Drowse was given Admiral Reinhold's starship...which was desired by many. Pop strode through the now tough wind that blew by, rattling the satellites and strong communication towers that stood in the desert like environment. Ravaged by war and the events of the New Cataclysm and the Rise Of The Killer Queen...everything had been sterilised for protection sake, and the mass populous had been turned into slaves as GaGa Kids or grunts as Yuppies. The isolation again made Pop almost long for the continuing agony of the Trojan Ram's prison cells...it could of been much worse, in the world of Planet Mall (Now named Planet Rock by Galileo) there was many prisons, installations and citadels around the planet...if Pop didn't stay low, she'd soon find herself in one again, walking ever closer to what she thought was a place known as the Park of Knebworth...directly north, that's where the Vi-Deo Ta-Pe said the next instrument of Rock was hidden. Pop let her hand wander down to her hip, where a small knife and six shooter pistol was held, an old weapon that Bob found under the stands at Wembley, it would serve it's purpose. She needed to camp, the sun had set over the red horizon, plunging the world into darkness, the moon and it's faint glitter was yet to rise fully in the pitch black sky, soon the Yuppies would be patrolling around the area, Pop knew it...so once she found a small valley, Pop opened her bag and began to set up a tent, after it popped up and rested, she covered it with some foliage and branches to make it blend it with a nearby collection of bushes and then Pop crawled inside. Checking a tablet she stole from inside a downed Gunship before leaving Wembley...the Yuppie soldiers and Policemen were still searching for Galileo and Scaramouche, while the large force of cruisers and battleships had moved away from the Capital, she smiled at that news, maybe Brit and Meat were safe after all. Hearing sirens in the distance, she slipped into her sleeping bag, placing the revolver beside her bed...after half an hour of tossing and turning, she forced her mind to sleep.

Galileo stepped towards the darkness..Scaramouche watched him "Gazza...don't-" she warned, as Galileo took a torch out of his pocket, he shined it towards the rustling noise...moving it around to scan the tunnel frame, finding nothing. Suddenly, his light jerked to the nearest sound, a brown rat. It squeaked and cried, running away into the deep expanse, Galileo sighed, Scaramouche rolled her eyes "Sorry Gazza, I thought it was-" Paul cut her off, stuttering as a worrying man would "Let's keep moving, we're close, very close" he said at a low voice, scrambling up near a ladder, he checked a sign on a odd hatch poking from the ceiling 'Office A113' the sign read, in bronze and silver rusty lettering, it had been left here for a while, who knows how long this structure was standing for. Galileo looked up at Paul working away on the hatch "Why so tense Paul?" He pondered, wondering what was hidden In this building Paul wanted to enter so badly. Paul looked back down "We need to open this Hatch" he grumbled, then his head snapped to Scaramouche, who was idol for the moment, leaning on the wall of the tunnel, her eyes darkened by the light "Hey..hey Scara, you have any fancy gadgets to save our skin again?" He suggested, Scaramouche pushed herself off the wall and gave a sultry walk to the ladder. She opened her jacket pocket, and pulled out a small half-sphere with a flashing red button "Remote explosive, a gift from Khashoggi" Scaramouche said proudly as Galileo rolled his eyes just out of her sight, Paul took it with a smirk and fixed it to the hatch "Good work, what's the detonation timer?" He asked, Scaramouche only took a long step back "20 seconds" Paul then Jumped with a grunt from the ladder in epic fashion and ran back, doing a roll and landing behind a chunk of metal as the blast blew the hatch open, Galileo didn't have time to react as he blew some smoke away with his hands while Paul set up the metal ladder again, offering chivalrously to let Scaramouche take the first climb into his former workplace.

The shadowy hologram figures of the Section-Chiefs lit up Drowse's office aboard the Final Annihilator, Eli found it was much more roomy here than in the Red Special, that tiny little boardroom was a curse to interior design, despite the lavish surroundings of the Grand Art Hall. Standing with Lieutenant Nuce in the back of the room...he could practically feel the man sweating beside him, in front facing the limelight was Prime Minister Drowse himself, Minister Kintyre, Admiral Waltz (The 9th Fleet's Admiral) and General Rammstein. Drowse was in the middle of one of his amazingly crafted speeches, he worked words like a blacksmith, somehow linking things no mortal man could. Eli had asked Direct-Commander Cosmos if he was interested in attending the meeting as one of Drowse's new confidants, but the slick haired man had advised against it, supposedly wanting to report to his peers in the Intelligence Devision. Admiral Waltz had been quiet since he arrived, only dusting himself off every now and then, and giving dirty looks to Eli and Nuce when they got in his way, he had the look of a politician and the rank of a soldier...a shame because Minister Kintyre had the reverse, she looked like a intelligent savage, her hair almost Amazonian in nature, waiting for a time to strike as her body was deeply still...yet she was a Minister in parliament, making laws and passing bills. A long stare later, Drowse acknowledged his own genius for a moment, humbly, and then finished his argument "And with the support of the 9th Fleet, the New Intelligence Devision, the G.R.A.B Squad, and the Parliamentary Committee, with more alliances well on the way, I believe that all of you would be much safer...with my backing" a vague threat, Eli knew, by 'backing' what Drowse really meant was total command, turn everything in GlobalSoft into Drowse's Confederation. He was already part of enough secret orders and services to make up its own secret order and service, Eli chuckled under his breath at the thought of that. Kintyre smiled and raised her voice "We have Nine of the fifteen members of the Federation of Fleet Admirals, and Grand Governor Hanson of the Royal Alignment, yes the Killer Queen's own uncle, has elected to join us" those words meant something to everyone in the room, the Killer Queen's legacy still lived, only about a day after her death. The Royal Alignment was the Killer Queen's family and extended relations, who were all given titles and areas to govern over. The Section-Cheifs, led by a man called Elton, muted there hologram connections to confer, giving everyone on the other side a chance to relax, Rammstein wiped his head with a cloth and it came out drenched in sweat. Drowse was calm as normal, whispering with Kintyre while Admiral Waltz called in his communicator for a moment. Eli's wrist comm suddenly began to beep in blue flashes; the cameras at the Mail Office, and Nuce said Breakthru was on route, suddenly Drowse's puzzle was put together yet again, Eli shuffled past Nuce and excused himself from the room as the holograms of the Section-Chiefs came back into life and the voice of Section-Chief Phillips rang through the room. He leant on the wall of the giant hallway outside, moving out the way as Operators and Officers walked passed him with various degrees of worrying and confident faces. Eli nodded out of degree and then turned back to his wrist comm, watching the feed...it appeared exactly as thought, Paul McCartney, Galileo Figaro and Scaramouche of no surname, all three of them entering that lost installation. Perhaps Nuce got the news as well, but Eli doubted it, heading into the rather empty command room...Eli looked out into the black abyss, and somewhere on that blue, green and hues of yellow planet below him...The death of Galileo would be assured.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Supremacy

1 Hour later.

Galileo smiled to himself, as far as he knew,he was safe. Ripping through the old document files, Paul found nothing but mail and letters from the olden days, nothing of use at all. Galileo was stood around in the shackled doorway; as if it was used to hold back rampages, making Galileo stop and think, all his victories...all for this, running, just like he used to, so nothing had truly changed for him. Scaramouche was acting her usual upbeat punk self, sitting cross-legged on a desk in the main Office room. Paul didn't manage to find anything, throwing down a folder in anger, making Scaramouche jump up and squealed "Hey! I ain't for throwing shit Paul, you're not allowed to toss stuff when your pissed off" she exclaimed, as if anger was her job, Galileo snapped out of his funk and went back to the Mail room to sit with Scaramouche. The phrases in his head were still bouncing about, but not as pounding as once it was, perhaps the abundance of musical subversion was effecting his ability, making it scream out in the absence. His face was a brooding mask when looking out towards the dull white mist of the world, Paul was still busy lamenting over the lack of meaningful insider information on what remained of GlobalSoft..Scaramouche suddenly chuckled at his frustration and glanced upwards, Paul sighed "What is it? What's so funny" he croaked. Somehow, Galileo thought, this Paul McCartney was a lot more easily angered than his previous incarnation, who was a strong willed girl and was rumoured to be a relation of Grandma Pop. Scaramouche explained herself "No no it's fine, just way back when me and Gazza were on the run, Killer Queen said that her dream would last a thousand years.." She gestured to Galileo, smirking playfully at him "Spice Girls said that the KQ was taken down days ago" Scaramouche recalled, making Paul jitter and threat "Her dream will last as long as long as Drowse lives" he cautioned, still focused on the many letters, no doubt while their new enemies plotted somewhere above them. However, that constant threat never left Galileo, all he had was a sweet few moments of peace until a head of danger rose to haunt him anew, before he found the music and began to follow the voices in his head...he was a GaGa Kid, a hopeless, mindless slave. But Scaramouche didn't think much of anything anymore, they had won, and the defeat of the Killer Queen had made her almost too proud of what they had achieved, too proud indeed, she considered herself invincible now, and that was the danger. McCartney stepped out into the main Office holding a thin file in his hand, it was a slim black envelope with red lettering stringed across it, this was good news, as Paul's smile showed a happier side to the new deputy leader "This Mail was classified, it's originally made from paper found in the Désespoir Region" Scaramouche gulped as Paul continued "but I found a copy of it, sent by a Marshal in an Advanced Weapons Research Facility to a Lord-Commandant in the Intelligence Devision" he beamed "It details several Super-Weapons that are under development...only one was ever approved" Paul's smile at solving the issue gave Galileo some hope of his own, Scaramouche looked at her friends, and nodded in partial agreement while Galileo proposed his own theory in accordance with Paul's evidence "So you think this Super-Weapon could have been used to destroy GlobalSoft Tower?" He tilted his head in curiosity, Paul's response was expected "Yes, but we've got to find who sent this letter, and who received it" that was much harder to do, the Advanced Weapons Research Department was far too top secret to track anything and the Intelligence Devision had many bases stretched throughout the world, and many Agents that enforced it with deadly efficiency. Galileo leaned in to Paul's side, and began to read the fear-harbouring names of the supposed Super-Weapons up for approval "Shadow-Ray, Dark-Sabre, Frontal-Destroyer, Final Annihilator...any of these could have been used" he cast a general look to each of his friends, in all of Scaramouche's knowledge, she didn't know a thing in this situation. Any of those haunting names may have been applied to the GlobalSoft Tower, she wondered if the Killer Queen suffered at all, or wether it was quick. Somewhere inside her, she felt it didn't matter at all. While Paul and Galileo were busy looking into the letter, studying the wording and small diagrams littering the papers. Scaramouche squinted outside the panelled window, a small glint in the distance, like a shiny dot of light hovering above the horizon, in the darkness of the night, the glint was almost ghostly. She spotted several little silver dots reflecting off the moon's rays, and those dots were heading straight for them. Scaramouche span on herself and rolled off the desk she was sat on at that moment, she found Galileo pondering in the Sending Room, he was expecting her thanks to the heavy footsteps of her boots. Galileo made a sigh "Scara, what's the buzz?" He questioned, Scaramouche caught her breath and repeated her view "Get the binoculars" She demanded simply. Minutes later, Paul was staring at the dots beside Galileo and Scaramouche, who were holding hands, as they did in times of crisis. "Looks like...5 Gunships, Destroyer-Class, escorted by 3 F-22 Raptor-Class Fighter Planes...that's a lot of Firepower" Paul coughed, walking into one of the back rooms, he brushed some dust away like a smudge, and a four-digit code was tapped into a small outlet, the clunky door slid open, after Scaramouche gave it a helping kick. They stepped into the dark and dank room, several large caches of weapons were about the room, Paul grabbed the nearest one, a large gun metal grey rifle, resembling a single long barrelled shotgun. He cocked it and slung it over his back "Load up Bohemians" He instructed, Scaramouche wasted no time in picking up dual pistols, short-barrelled in a shining silver with black handles. She span them in her hands and kept them close "Your choice Gazza" Scaramouche teased, Galileo was awash with many facial expressions at that instant, surely the action he took next was out of peer pressure as he chose a chunky short rifle, some kind of automatic weapon. The three of them walked out the front sliding doors to view the onslaught heading towards them, the strange hovering and guttural noises of the jets was soon nearer than first thought. The central middle jet lowered itself, and Galileo couldn't hold himself up, it wasn't that he was afraid, more the tension of the moment that got to him. The middle jet fired one of it's wing-mounted rockets, cutting through the air, the rocket was closing fast. Paul drew his shotgun and pointed it forward "Stand fast!" He yelled, Galileo could have fainted as the rocket sped towards them, a trail of puffy white smoke behind it. Scaramouche cocked her pistols as the rocket blew past them, throwing Paul to the ground in an instant as the rocket smashed through the glass and hit the wall behind them. The explosion knocked them all back. Smoke filled the area, and for Galileo, the world went hazy.

Walking around the side of the broken defence wall, Khashoggi and Bob the Builder were counting up the remaining recourses still available for use. After searching Pop's old apartment, they'd found that the powerful woman had fled the Stadium during the assault by the Yuppie-Troopers, Khashoggi always had his doubts about that one, her vast knowledge of history was sometimes troubling to him. The attack had wasted most of their arms and ammunition, and with the surviving Bohemians either complacent or missing, Khashoggi was left feeling like a broken leader. Bob had pulled up most of the survivors and found several broken weapons around the stadium. They were helped by any surviving Bohemians and several original members of the Heartbreak Hotel gang, a young boy called Aretha was acting as a bookkeeper in Pop's absence, Bob had already informed Khashoggi that the Rebel Archive had been taken over and the building was to be burned. Having transferred the entire contents of the Archive to the 14th Fleet long ago, Khashoggi was simply glad he didn't have to tell Pop that the 14th Fleet was the group of navy starships led by the Fleet Admiral Drowse. Aretha had so far found several old texts and newspapers in Pop's apartment, and around the stands of Wembley. Khashoggi let his jacket fly open and blow on his shoulders, the wind was fierce during the night, and the rain had only just begun. Bob was wearing a oddly fitting yellow hard-hat with a centre lamp and carrying a large rusted pick-axe in his left hand, with a smaller metal axe slung over his shoulder. The rain and wind had washed down most of the poorly built wooden walls and armaments, Khashoggi had made a mental note of the dead, and having ordered Cliff Richard to collect the bodies and make a pile to burn later in the night. Jackson Five had returned from leading a scouting party, but couldn't find anything but old stones, a burned rag, a floral headdress, and a broken communicator, with no sign of Pop. All the items were found in a hole, dug by desperate hands. Khashoggi tasked Aretha to send letters and messages to the other Bohemian leaders of the continents, the small boy was busy at his work desk as Khashoggi strode in, accompanied by Bob and Puff Daddy, and two other Bohemians carrying pikes. Aretha was wearing large reading glasses and had a small quill in his tiny hand, after a small pause of silence Aretha raised his brown eyes of comfort "Commander" he addressed. Bob walked around inside the tent and found a seat to sit in, Puff Daddy did the same as Khashoggi cleared his throat "How are the letters going?" He asked with a eyebrow raised, Aretha furrowed his brow and looked up again "Well..." He licked a small envelope and put it on a pile of likewise letters, gathering his thoughts, Aretha continued "I've written and signed about 30 letters" He rubbed his hands together, as Khashoggi tapped his foot in frustration, the worldwide Bohemian leaders needed to unite against the new danger of Drowse and his Super-Weapon. Such things made him think of his time under the Killer Queen's impractical heel, she would always hold meetings with the Parliamentary Committee, the Future Council, the Shadow Council or the Section-Cheifs. Sometimes he would be allowed to stand beside her during such meetings, but only to be silent or be gone, standing by his G.R.A.B squad, who were the main commandos deployed when dealing with the Bohemian threat, yet were ordered away by a new Commander in the Intelligence Devision, aboard a Guard-Glass Cruiser, just moments before Khashoggi himself was demoted and shamed by the Killer Queen, he could still hear the ring of her voice in his head. He was scared that somehow, he would be the next one to bite the dust, as the Queen said.

The Final Annihilator was on it's orbit around the earth, spinning like a moon of perpetual death around its victim of a planet. Eli had returned to the Red Special Flagship, with the 9th Fleet having summoned it's full might of around 17 Ships, including three Light-Speed Dampener Intervener-Class vessels, these were far more modern and smaller than a average Innuendo-Class Destroyer Cruisers, the Intervener ships were shorter and leaner, possessing four large domes on top of its triangle-like form, clad in silver and lined in black, it was a favourite tactic of Admiral Waltz. It was hardly common knowledge among the everyday officer that didn't know of the Intervener, the new vessel could be used to create or diminish any Light-Speed or Space-Lane used by the spaceships of the world. The Killer Queen was obsessed with space travel and wished to expand to other worlds, and secure her hold and supremacy on her own, the way she did was by forming a space Fleet of hundreds of thousands of ships to patrol the cosmos for her, yet the expansion never got very far. Eli had come in on a FM-Style Shuttle with Lieutenant Nuce and General Rammstein and a company of about ten Yuppie-Troopers, the news had already spread like a wildfire around the Capital Ships, Prime Minister Drowse had been raised to Supreme Commander and given total control over every GlobalSoft recourse, now called GlobalForce by Drowse. The Section-Chiefs had finally come around and granted command to Drowse, after hearing of all he's accomplished and given to the cause, and all of the new allies that had pledged to join him, they almost had no choice but to grant every request he had, including offering him a place as a Section-Chief and inclusions on the views of the Shadow Council, having swiftly dismantled the Future Council for reasons unknown. After a swift visit to Admiral Waltz's flagship, the HMS Griffin, Drowse and Minister Kintyre had arranged to meet their biggest ally; Grand Governor Hanson. It had been paramount that they secured his support long before they met face to face, the Royal Alignment was a very important Faction to draw into the fold, the Killer Queen had left no heir on her death, so Grand Governor Hanson took the responsibility of managing the remaining officials and sectors under her former command. Possessing one of the largest fleets in the whole Space-Navy, Hanson was a proud man, still living in the Killer Queen's Private Palace just outside the Capital. Eli passed the Shuttle Bay and walked into one of the Observation Decks, his thoughts went to the origins of the Red Special and it's previous owner, Reinhold Richards, a Fleet Admiral just like Drowse during his early days. Currently, the Federation of Fleet Admirals was split apart, Drowse had persuaded nine of the fifteen to join him, but the remaining few had titled themselves 'Warlord' or 'Executor' petty titles, each one of them. Passing the operators stations, Eli glanced down to the glass floor, seeing the world slowly turn below him, his own mind losing itself until- "Eli! Eli Lambert as I live and breath" footsteps paced quickly behind him as a very fine voice called out, making Eli shook and out of place as he turned to face the voice. A tall figure of a man approached him, with slicked back brown hair streaked with a motley grey and an olive-green suit and matching trousers, black shoes shined to a perfect level, and a rank badge indicating him to be a Brigadier-Admiral, two straight lines of six squares, the top had one blue square and five red, and the bottom had two blue and four red. The man's face was lean and thin, much like Drowse, but with a higher forehead and a pair of small rectangular glasses mounted on the bridge of his slim nose. The Brigadier-Admiral stood about two or three heads taller than Eli, perhaps at the same level as Drowse. At first, Eli didn't know of this man, but once he got closer and spoke up to him, it became all too clear "I suppose you don't remember me from the Academy, but why would you?" He chuckled, standing next to Eli in the observation deck, looking down on the world, and a small passing cruiser, it's tiny frame a mere ant under the Red Special's lion. The man beside Eli straightened himself to stand at full height "I should introduce myself my name is Curtis, Simone Curtis, I attended the BF-Academy...granted, I was two years above you" he said at almost a pleasant whisper, Eli remembered the brash, stick-in-the-mud proper by-the-book ways of a young Midshipman by the name of Simone Curtis, several years his senior, age showing in Curtis's sunken cheeks and glasses. Back in those days, Eli was working as an apprentice to a shipping company, never dreaming of anything outside his own small colony and city some miles away. The BF-Academy was something new for him, walking among the higher in society, little brats who wished to become Grand Captains or Senior Commanders and have supremacy over one Sector or another, Eli only wished for a simple, better life. Curtis waited for a response, an anxious wave across his steely face as Eli snapped back "Of course, I didn't see you arrive? Are you with the 9th Fleet?" He asked, though the rank of Brigadier-Admiral was higher than the standard Admiral rank Waltz held. The gaunt man smirked "No-" he took easy pleasure in saying that, Eli thought "I arrived to congratulate the new Supreme Commander, my own company of Cruisers are soon to make themselves known though, rest assured" He hissed, moving quickly to cross Eli and observe the instruments and monitors "I heard Drowse enlisted a new Intelligence Commander" Curtis mentioned, making Eli huff in low exhaustion "Direct-Commander, he took over from Jonathan Khashoggi, the traitor's father" the face of the man opposite changed to smug satisfaction "ahhhh" he realised, his gaze going up to the Final Annihilator "Such majesty..isn't it?" His voice peaking in interest. Now remembering more about this man, Eli knew that Curtis was apart of the Drowse Initiative, so most likely had a hand in the pie. After joining his side, and watching as three F-35 Raptor-Class Jets whizzed past the window, Eli replied with a grateful "A testament to the new world.." He could hardly believe he said that, Drowse himself hated the design and creation process of the Super-Weapon, thinking it a great waste of recourses..only going along with the plot because of the Killer Queen's upmost and righteous vision for lust of power, and perhaps it's eventual usefulness. The operators and specialists in the room turned their heads, as the tension rose..making a faint chuckle, Brigadier-Admiral Curtis didn't let his eyes faultier from the Super-Weapon for a instant "I'd like to appreciate it in action"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Appreciation

From the main compartment of the Assault Gunship, Agent Breakthru sheathed his Q-10 Laser Rifle and leant out the bow to see the F-22 Jets firing relentlessly at the Mail Office, as the first Gunship started to land a few miles ahead, Yuppie soldiers disembarking and making there way towards the husk of the office, the three most wanted Bohemians nowhere to be seen, the wasteland expanse all that could be viewed from the Gunship, some thirty meters in the air, hovering closer and closer. The Jets were circling around for another attack pass, their rockets creating light bursts in he middle of the night, the smouldering building in front of them, some kind of twisted bonfire. The Yuppies were approaching the burning and crashing Office, the three individuals must have ran or sealed themselves inside to die. The Yuppies had only neared the door when the F-22 Jets fired another barrage of rockets into the Office, bringing half of the two story building crumbling "Raptor Squad! Stand down and pull away!" Breakthru ordered, the planes glided on there wings and swung back around, Breakthru watched as their grey and black sleek wings was a blur as they fled. The next stages of the plan was clear, the second Gunship lands and the group of at least 20 Yuppies step out and advance. As Drowse had commanded, Breakthru and his unit had filled and stopped up all the tunnels and passageways underneath Wembley, and around that area, with an additional order by the Intelligence Devision to engage the Dreamer, and with Lieutenant Lambert activating security feeds to allow instant access helped, not that they worked now, that is. Word had been that the new Direct-Commander if the Intelligence Devision would be on his way as well, along with his Super-Yuppie squadron called 'The Static-X' and inside his special, one-of-a-kind BM-Class Shuttle. Breakthru briefed his Captains "Alright men, inside that wreck of a Mail Office is a group of three Bohemians, capture them, and be quick about it!" The Yuppies nodded and saluted as the blue-striped captain beside him took over "That means Stun-Settings, so buckle your belts and check yourselves soldiers, we're going in!" Breakthru barely heard the rousing words, standing with the Pilots as their Gunship began to hover low and land, the groups already on the ground, Breakthru had ordered them to wait before they approached, a group of about 100 men now stood around the carcass of the structure, Breakthru held his hand up, making the Yuppies advance together. The Agent was wearing his black battle armour, standard issue for a Special Agent in the field, customised with a chunky and fitting black helmet with a silver indent, and mark of the Intelligence Devision. The armour itself was plate, and clanked when Breakthru walked, apart from that, it was strong enough to block swords, and take several bullets and laser blasts. Drawing his Q-10 and setting it to stun by flicking a small switch on it's side, him and his company made slow steps towards the hideout. At first, a few noises from a bush startled a Yuppie Trooper, he raised his Blaster rifle and turned on the searchlight, it cut into the grass patches and inside the bush, a few birds took flight as a small Racoon type of animal leapt out, squealed, and ran away in a scuttle, Breakthru tutted "I don't think it's lethal, Trooper" He quipped, a small smirk etched on his face, the face of the Yuppie in question wasn't as joking. The next sound wasn't as primitive. Gunshots broke the silence and the odd chuckle, it was the girl. Her small and lean figure emerged from the building and began to fire, holding two Glock 16's in her dainty hands, the bullets cutting into the Yuppies armour, she had killed two already at long range before Breakthru decided to get involved. He fired four shots from his blaster rifle, but the dark-haired girl was agile enough to dodge and put a shot into Breakthru's chest armour, grunting, Breakthru loaded a grenade into his handheld launcher and fired it out, the explosion knocked the girl back into the grass with a yelp. The girl was soon up and took out another Yuppie with a headshot, the bullet breaking the glass T-shaped visor of his helmet and blood leaking from it. His Yuppie soldiers ineffective, he charged her opening fire, she out another bulletin into her chest, the sound of the indent stunning him, but not enough for a laser blast to graze her side..allowing him to catch up. Breathing hard, Breakthru drew his Bo-Tool, a marvel really, one small device that could change shape in seconds, to almost anything the wearer wanted. A high-tech feat of engineering, rivalling the Final Annihilator itself, this little slim rectangle could shape into anything, one of the most versatile Technological advances in the universe, and gifted to a select few field Agents. Breakthru held out the device and let it form mechanically into a long black staff, with pulsing electrical clusters at it's end, the yellow sparks fizzed and Breakthru span it and stalked towards the girl, she slotted the pistols onto her back and withdrew a small shank-like knife, one he had seen the Bohemians of the Capital using. Spinning his staff, he went in to engage her.

They were hiding, that much was true. Scaramouche had chosen to go out and fight the oncoming wave of Yuppies, Galileo and Paul simply waited in the underground tunnel they had entered in, trying to figure out why this had happened...Galileo had already checked himself for a tracker, it wouldn't be his downfall this time. Paul considered that an Officer may have reactivated the security cameras, if they still worked, Galileo had countered. Worrying was always Galileo's fault, what if Scaramouche had died out there already? She had taken him from outside the Mail Office when it was first struck by a enemy missile, nearly killing him. Paul was simply knocked down by its wind, and had crawled into the tunnel to hide, Scaramouche waited with them for a while, hearing the relentless attacks by the fighters, and the marching of nearby Troops, Scaramouche had to do her duty and protect the men, taking on a whole company herself, and whoever else was out there. Paul tried several times to get the courage to head up there, but never did. His hair a cut slick of brown, Paul was larger and taller than his previous counterpart, a short long haired girl, and true friend if all Bohemians, Pop still held herself responsible after the old Paul McCartney died in the collapse of the Rebel Archive and the loss of thousands of useful books and scriptures...a Bohemian strike-force had been sent to reclaim the old bookkeepers palace after it was seized by an Initiative's Director, only about twenty of the skilled men and women of the new Bohemian ranks were sent, including Jackson Five and Cliff Richard, but only four had returned...Jackson Five never speaks of that day, Cliff only wishes to forget it. The Laser blasts upstairs were dulling down, as shouts and grunts of anger dulled below the heavy shielding of the 'A113' labeled hatch, so many new Bohemians still awaiting his words, his visit..for some reason Galileo's mind tended to wander at hectic situations...The Guitar. He still had his Guitar, one of the only few things he packed before escaping Wembley, Pop took the Vi-Deo Ta-Pe for her own uses, and Galileo took his Guitar with him, rushing back down the tunnel, he remembered where he left it. Paul tried to grasp his arm "Galileo! Where are you going?!" He yearned the question as Galileo just ran for where he hid the Guitar, he could only hear his own lonely and rushing footsteps, his hair brushed backwards and his open jacket flapping back, running and turning, grabbing a pillar for leverage, he span and rolled into the little compartment, just south of the where the sentry-turrets fired on the, during the smoke, Galileo had hid his powerful omen. Brandishing it and letting it all in, he now knew what he had to do to help Scaramouche and get them out of this situation. The Guitar hasn't changed a bit, he thought to himself, it's still expertly crafted, a true legend of an item...he was thinking of a name, but wasn't imaginative enough in such things for that. The large item was a weight in him, still. Remembering the final battle with the Killer Queen, he used it to open the world and free al the GaGa Kids from their mental shackles. The Killer Queen wasn't alone in that Hologram she appeared in, thank's to Pop's Email. Behind her stood a Council of several men and women, all dressed in suits with odd tiny squared boards pinned to their chests and having logos of companies, Galileo rationalised that they were simple members of a advisors Council, or anything of that ilk. Khashoggi had told them after his betrayal that the Killer Queen had countless Army Officials and very deadly informants under her wings, the type of men to cause nightmares and instil fear across the galaxy. Luckily, they were either in hiding or dead...or working with this Drowse he was hearing so much about. Racing back through the tunnels, hoping to remember the route, Galileo wondered if would have any effect on their attackers at all, it would certainly be better than that hideous automatic weapon he selected, one he did not even know how to fire. Best leave the kick-ass fighting to Scaramouche, he concluded, but in truth, Music and a Rock was his game. Paul was waiting at the ladder when Galileo returned, panting, and breathless. Opening the hatch, Galileo climbed out without a word to Paul, simply drawing his Guitar out and slinging it over his shoulder, this was his weapon of choice. Stepping out onto the barren field after straining to open the hatch, what he was was pure conflict, about 60 or 50 white-armoured soldiers wielding laser guns were blasting away at Scaramouche, who herself had her guns at the ready, and was shooting to kill. She was fighting some black suited and helmeted warrior, sporting a set of killer sideburns, this must of been a Field Agent or Captain of GlobalSoft. He was swinging and striking at Scaramouche with a long double-pronged staff, that possessed two large clusters of yellow electricity. Galileo took a stance as one of the Yuppie Troopers spotted him, and pointed "Look, Sir!" The tough man kicked Scaramouche back out of nowhere, as if to banish her from the fight "You! Dreamer! You're mine!" He hollered, making a strong walk towards him , his staff at his side, crackling in energy. Galileo slowed his breathing as the white-armoured soldiers began to step back, Scaramouche saw what was going to happen "Give em hell, Gazza!" She encouraged, making one of the soldiers glare "Silence Scum!" He fired a few laser blasts, making Scaramouche leap up and knock him from his feet with her legs, recovering to knock him out with a straight punch. As the large bounding man got closer, Galileo muttered "Here we go" and took a massive strum of his Guitar, the shockwave and sound-blast knocked all the man back, along with all his Troops, Scaramouche was clinging to the ground as everyone was flung backwards, even the heavy Gunships were pushed away. The sound was rattling and heavy, with a lot of vibration, it took everyone at least a few minuets to stand again. Scaramouche ran and slid to step next to Galileo, the oncoming Troopers and the warrior in black stood at the other end of the wasteland, the wind blowing between them...and they charged.

Pop's dreams were never explainable, odd colours and shapes, with words passing and going from various strangers voices. She woke and found her pistol and knife as she left them, Pop opened the tent and stepped outside in the morning, the sun barely rising, and the birds emanating sweet passion with there voices, this journey to the Park of Knebworth would take her weeks at least, so she had to go further than ever to retrieve every relic of the Rock and Roll, and to avoid every GlobalSoft land and air patrol, she had seen the vast might of the company under the Killer Queen. She was a driving force behind everything, and her army of Yuppies and workforce of GaGa Kids were constantly building structures to appease her. Today, Pop would travel through the Monk's Walk, a name of an old School in the region, now it was more of a lost Bohemian right of passage, so to speak. The Walk was made by Workers from the Désespoir Region of the world...Pop once knew it as Fri-Ance, once, GlobalSoft had used the region to provide and collects slaves to work on it's secret projects, build their ships and weapons, overseen by Marshals and Commanders in the AD-WRD, the ORSF and the Intelligence Devision, all under the greater branch of the army. These workers who had escaped from the Region, wanted a place of silence and tranquility...so they established a small, out-of-the-way monastery, hidden between hills and inside small valleys, legend said it spanned the whole area, and it's a necessary stopping point for Pop's journey, the Monks had been surrounded by the very power of music. By early morning she had packed up the tent and placed it in her rucksack, still having the pistol and knife by her side, Pop embarked towards out of the valley. The hill was higher than she thought, and the grass sharper, staining and stinging as it grazed her, once she reached the top, she saw the sun, perfectly alighting the nearby surroundings. For this short moment, beauty was felt inside her.

The transfer from the Red Special back to the Final Annihilator had been as boring as it was tedious, but Eli had felt that it wasn't the worse event to have happened today. Receiving orders and after a frankly courteous conversation with Drowse over hologram, Brigadier-Admiral Curtis had been granted temporary command, only until Drowse and Minister Kintyre returned from the Killer Queen's Private Palace, after their meeting with Grand Governor Hanson. They had refused to take the Red Special, for fear it would seem far too intimidating to the Palace servants and guards, and portray Drowse as too much of a showman, so they had taken The Caladrius, Drowse's personal Cruiser. So far the events of GlobalForce's rising was smooth enough to please Eli, with Generals and Commanders sworn in every few days, but perhaps it would lead to stepping into the Killer Queen's position...Drowse had promised a different rule, and preparations were made to secure the world so that a figure like the Killer Queen could never seek to rise again. A gathering of ,any important figures had been collected in the Command Room, a long flight of stairs away from Drowse's Office and the Conference Room, just south of the main SuperLaser, housed in the equator of the gigantic sphere. All Capital Ships had been moved away under the wise command of Captain Powter, the head officer and supervisor of the Red Special. As Curtis said, his Fleet of four Innuendo-1-Class Cruisers had arrived, one Innuendo-2-Class Cruiser escorted by two EMI-Light-Class Defender Cruisers and a smaller 68-19 Transport. Several of his personnel had been transferred to stand by his side, his own company of Yuppies, about 40 men, marked with red lines on their white armour, and an Aide called Bekki, who held the rank of Ensign. A collective of Officers had now been summoned to the 'Testing' of the Final Annihilator, though Eli knew this wasn't a testing..this was appreciation. Curtis wanted to make a big of a statement as he could, so the group of high-ranking men would see his new show of strength, him and his and aids were standing spread around the Command Room, Eli took a few choice glances and saw many familiar faces, General Rammstein and Lieutenant Nuce, and several of Nuce's black suited informants. Another few men were stood beside the monitor, showing the target that Curtis had selected, a white-suited man of the Navy and Intelligence Devision, Colonel Baxter, a friend of Khashoggi's father, and a prominent figure in the Killer Queen's inner circle. Eli was waiting by the main viewport, a large glass wall, effectively, with a thin black rim around it's clean and limitless view. Beside it was a wall of screens showing data and charts, and several consoles operated by oddly military style specialists. Standing near some faceless Yuppie Guards and snivelling Captains, it brought a friendly and reassuring feeling to Eli when Direct-Commander Cosmos swept into the room with his swaggering cape and ever-loyal pack of four Super-Yuppies, the famous and ruthless 'Static X' with their black armour and long-barrelled rifles, each of the four elites took positions at the four corners of the room...making Eli a inch suspicious as Curtis turned around, raising his esteemed voice "Major Cosmos...an unexpected pleasure" He announced, making everyone's eyes either shift to Cosmos or Curtis, the sarcasm could be tasted in the Brigadier-Admirals opening words "Direct-Commander, now, and I'm not unexpected...am I?" His eyes drifted to Colonel Baxter, who offered a knowledgeable nod "Indeed, Major Cosmos was promoted to Direct-Commander by The Future Council and by the decree of Drowse himself" The Colonel said by a twist of his head, looking at Curtis, who merely glanced at Eli and then scanned Cosmos up and down with his sharp eyes "I'm tempted to have you hauled out of this Room right now.." He threatened, making Cosmos give a opened mouth cutesy look "We all know that won't be happening, unless you want the Supreme Commander to remove you on your first day in command" Cosmos was sauntering around the room to stand near enough to Eli for him to feel recognised, though far away for the Direct-Commander to keep up appearances "I assure you Drowse has full trust in me, I've stood by the side of the Killer Queen long enough to know how to order and receive orders" Curtis pushed his glasses up, Cosmos shot back with "The Killer Queen is dead. Welcome to the new world, Admiral" he taunted, making the Brigadier-Admiral scowl and sneer...then resume his polite tone "Brigadier-Admiral, now" he spat finally as the Final Annihilator reached it's target, an Operator at the nearest console looked over to him, shifting his hat "Sir, we are in range...charging now" the sounds and noises of heavy machinery and lever and switches filled the room, Cosmos crossed his arms in frustration as Eli leaned on the wall a few paces away. The impressive looking sight graphic on the wall honed in on it's target. General Rammstein took a breath, Colonel Baxter whispered to a Intelligence Devision Agent. The Operator responded to the monitors information relay again "Core charged at 94% Sir...96%...99%..." He counted, Curtis turned his head slowly, as the Operator gave his final confirmations "Final Annihilator Charged, systems primed and locked" Curtis turned back to the viewing screen "Fire at will" he said simply, as a mechanical female voice announced "Standby...Standby" And the Désespoir Region suddenly became dust.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Relevance

By the time Pop got to the top of the hill, the sun had been blocked out, right in front of her. She observed the eclipse-like sight through some binoculars...and what it had done...in front of her very eyes, a swirl of green light emitting from the black sphere, and then the swirl became a straight sharp beam, striking down. It hit the exact thing Pop knew it was going to hit, from that distance, to that target, it would be nothing else. Her hand touched her mouth in shock, and her blue eyes were wide in amazement as she gasped. The beam hit like an swift asteroid, making a huge eruption where it first struck the Désespoir Region and resulting in a massive space high eruption of earth debris and rock, white hot magma and lava had struck up, creating a wave of first dust and then ash, and a storm of lightning dotted heavy grey clouds. The entire region must have gone up in smoke, and explosions, so far the massive landscape was emitting some kind of black rising smoke. Pop them remembered a phrase the Supervisor of the Trojan Ram once said 'You always see it, before you hear it' and then the sound came, like a thousand storms with a hundred earthquakes, times by ten. She was then almost blown back by the sheer reaction of the sound waves within the cataclysm, it looked slightly apocalyptic in it's nature. The Region was home to at least 66.4 Million people, slaves and workers from all nations who were gathered to work, it was prosperous for GlobalSoft's economy and labour, why would whoever did this put an end to that? Some kind of statement? It's twisted relevance swung around in Pop's mind, she knew so many people living there, innocent people, people who just wanted to get by in life, who just wanted to survive, she remembered her times scouting in that Region, the worthy and open-minded folk, who loves of all art and culture had been their undoing in the end, once GlobalSoft took over. No more. She had to press on.

The humming and beeping died down as a Specialist from a console flicked a final switch, standing and looking towards the gaggle of whispering men and women near the glass wall, the Specialist coughed "Brigadier-Admiral, the target has been destroyed, only leaving 1.2% of life behind, microscopic life, Sir" he leered, waiting for Curtis to reply, he only swivelled around and smiled, nodding "Magnificent..." He murmured, giving Eli a short look. Cosmos unfolded his arms and pinched his lip in smugness, stalking away in silence, with his Super-Yuppies following behind, flanking him on all sides. Meanwhile Nuce consulted a monitor and gave a worrying raise of tone, drawing everyone's eyes to him...Eli was condemning to the sky in his mind as Nuce spoke up "Sir...it appears 5% of our Battalion and Crew of the Innuendo-2-Class Cruiser 'The Limitless' were left behind in the Désepoir Region..if you don't mind me saying so, Sir, that's a-" He spat, Curtis snapped and rounded on the young Lieutenant "Out of all of our vast recourses, you don't think a few Troopers and bearded grease-monkeys can be sacrificed for the deaths of millions of slaves whom incite open rebellion?" He was backed up by several other men, General Rammstein took his place beside Curtis, looking like a dwarf under the Brigadier-Admirals towering height "He's right, son, the lives of a few men are a small price to pay...for victory" Rammstein praised, Nuce shrunk away, his informants in a crowd behind him. The sun resumed it's shining in the morning as the Final Annihilator crawled away from the crime scene. Any communications with Drowse or Minister Kintyre were barred, until Curtis made his own contact, leaving Eli to stew in his own quarters aboard the Battle-Station...or rather, his tiny pocket of a room. The alliance Drowse was building began to show once the Final Annihilator reached it's staging area, a collection of countless Innuendo-1-Class cruisers were assembled around at least five Fahrenheit-2-Class dreadnoughts, Curtis and Waltz's Fleets were hanging in on the sidelines, after some research, it was revealed that Simone Curtis was a man of the Curtis-Hegemony, and a leading face in the Mikkel-Mark Region, though descendant from a much poorer, immigrant family. A small part of Eli sympathised with the man, both growing up in places they didn't belong, Eli was born in the Unfree-States Region, currently occupied by the Bohemians, like a scholar, Eli placed his hand on the windowsill in thought. The time he had spent in the Dominion of the Damned had taught him to savour quitter moments among no one but yourself 'only be a hunter on the outside' His brother once told him. Though that was no reason to spout wisdom, his brother tended to only say meaningful things when intoxicated, the rest was a blur of fear and confidence. Eli poured himself a thin glass of water and slurped it down, his eyes fixed on the command ship of Curtis, called 'The Sovereign Hand' it was a simple rather unimpressive Innuendo-2-Class Cruiser, with it's double-bridge structure, colourless grey form and triangle frame, what was most interesting about it was it's content. Despite bringing a transport frigate, which he insisted was to only store spare supplies, however 'The Sovereign Hand' was rumoured to only staff and man 60 of the levels...what happened to the other 140 was up to speculation. Many simple Yuppies believed the levels were haunted by the dead men who once served under Curtis, Eli had heard Admiral Roc-Montreal guess over hologram that it was housing for a Hyper-Data Core, that had been supercharged. Something of that nature would have been dangerous, a virtual stockpile of information rivalling that of the Rebel Archive and of Drowse's Grand Art Hall, it was no wonder Curtis had a 100% success rate when dealing with Bohemians. He would know their every move. With that thought planted well in Eli's head, the handsome young man returned to his studies..Drowse had recommended that Eli read at least one manuscript a day, as Drowse once did during his time in the Deacon Ascendant. This particularly insightful booklet detailed the works of renowned artists and inventor Marty Galen Vincent, the designer of the original blueprints of the Final Annihilator...a shame he never got to see his work finished before the Killer Queen killed him, it appears that his only fault in the plans were exhaust vents, and a thermal regulator placed on North Pole of the moon-sized station. Eli remembered seeing the plans from somewhere other than this text booklet, perhaps Drowse possessed a copy in his Art Hall aboard the Red Special, which had been taken to the Repair-Station in Manchester, under the pretence that it needed to refuel. Eli took a small glance at the clicking clock, above his silver metal desk and cold skeleton-like chair, only mid-morning and still no word from Drowse, he checked his communicator, no calls. The door suddenly snapped open as one of Lieutenant Nuce's informants stepped into the room, backed by two Yuppie Troopers "Sir, our enforcer-" by that he meant Agent Breakthru, a rather polite term for a spy to use "-has taken on the Bohemian leaders and fugitives, but they have taken to a retreat into the heavy grassland after leading our force into a trap inside the escape tunnels" he lowered his head, Eli stood up and fixed his rank badge back to his chest "Does Prime Minister Drowse know about this?" He questioned, making the informant shiver "No Lieutenant Lambert, and Nuce had orders from you not to inform our Supreme Commander" he sputtered, Eli nodded swiftly "Right, contact the Agent in the field" Eli requested as he passed the informant and filed out the room, the Yuppie Troopers following him now.

Honestly, Khashoggi didn't expect Aretha to have sent the letters away that quickly, his instant teleporting system and vast knowledge of locations, information transport and Bob's Builders-Web did a amazing job at creating support. So far about five or six Bohemian representatives from many nations had been summoned and were told to gather in Wembley for a high-profile meeting, but stealth was a hard thing to do, with spies crawling the walls. The rest of the letters hadn't been located or even received, Aretha worried that perhaps GlobalSoft had found them, and were sending Gunships to wipe them out this instant, Khahsoggi had to tell him in his most calmest tone that the GlobalSoft thugs attack at random...they won't be able to trace it back at all. Khashoggi still thought of that Flash-Drive he found in his pocket...could it have been placed there? Why? So many questions and so little time. There was no time for time, that he knew. Checking a small communicator, still no word from Galileo or Paul, he walked back from the Pop's old tent to his own, a dull and camouflage green colour. Opening up the tent flap, Khashoggi stepped inside and went straight to a glowing white fridge, placed in the corner of the tent...he opened to up and reached down for the rack of canned beer, it didn't taste as fresh and cool as he hoped once he cracked it open and drank. It tasted like some long-lost waterfront, mixed with barley and a stench of old and new disappointment. Khashoggi pulled up a brown wooden chair, more like a stool, and sat. The noise of awaking Bohemians still grated Khashoggi...it had been almost 7 weeks since the last time he saw the Killer Queen, and perhaps he was better off for leaving her, he was still unsure of that, and moments like this forced him into thinking so. Mulling over the maps of the area, searching the lines for a point, though he probably missed it. As if there was never anything there in the first place. The Wanderer known as Pop had left in a mess, he was told, Jackson Five had reported the whole scene to him. Pop retreated from the outline of the Stadium about a day ago. Khashoggi's work was still a shamble of old and scrapping papers, tossed in a pile, what he wouldn't have given for a classic Textbook at this time. Tossing the can away into a rusting dustbin, he fixed his ever-growing hair and put on his jacket, checking for the Flash-Drive he once found, he dreaded to think what had happened to that thing, or who had taken it. The relevance troubled him, perhaps a plan for a Super-Weapon still existed? He knew there must have been something like that out there, once, Colonel Baxter had once informed him that the Seven Seas of Rye was used as a labour force, perhaps to build it? Exiting from the tent after a rough half a second of rest, he passed a figure leaning on the tent pole "Not enough rest?" It mocked "it's probably work-stress related...Khashoggi" The voice muttered, making Khashoggi turn "What do you know about-" He stopped. The voice he heard matched the figure he saw before him, a incredibly short girl of five-foot two or three, with long hanging, curling ginger hair. Her face was round and slim, her figure even more so, reminding Khashoggi of a deer or young foal. Her voice was of a unmissable tone, a native of the Unfree States or the HighLeaf Trail, with an outfit of coordination, a light red patterned blazer, only one button was done, and form fitting red dress, and some considerable heels that added to her already short stature. Khashoggi flexed his eyebrows for a moment, making the girl smile in half her mouth "My eyes are up here, Sir" she tilted her head, pointing dryly up to a set of wide hazel eyes, Khashoggi nodded "I can see that...pardon me but who are-" she interjected without thought "Jet-Set Radio...but people call me Jet, so feel free to conform" Jet complained with attitude in her voice, walking to stand directly in front of Khashoggi, then stepping aside "Shall we walk? Mr Khashogggi?" Khashoggi took the invitation and walked with her, offering a gesture of courtesy "Please, call me Charles"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Intrusion

The long grass cut past Galileo as he ran, Paul was alongside him, Scaramouche at the other side, looking equally tired, the fight had drained them of almost everything they had, energy and ammo, Scaramouche had dropped her pistols and Paul had run out of shells in covering them as they ran, only killing about three Yuppies with his half-hazard aim before losing the Shotgun to a laser blast by the Field Agent. The attack on the Mail Office was nothing when the ground suddenly shook, a few hours earlier, the group of soldiers didn't stop, marching forward after them. Paul led the three through the tall grass, thinking he could find an old Shipyard or lake to shelter in, Galileo though that he had no idea about any of it, in his eyes, it had made no difference. His shoes were burning on his feet, the hummingbird style of the Gunships were long gone, Scaramouche had done her best to fight them off, briefly engaging the Field Agent, who she described as demolishing in single combat, he had overpowered her and forced them to escape with another blast from a airborne vehicle. For the moment, they all hid in a ditch, with a small hole carved out the side by a creature of black and white fur. Scaramouche was resting by the hole, which the creature had soon fled back into. Paul was on edge, returning to a emotion Galileo always experienced gave him comfort. Galileo tried to wrap his head around the solar eclipse that covered the sun as the Earthquake began, and was over as soon as it ended, would there be a connection? His mind made the connection as he felt his neurones firing, Spice Girls had told him that a 'moon, or planet' had destroyed the GlobalSoft tower...and Khashoggi did mention that the Seven Seas of Rye was used to brainwash good Bohemians into the ideal workforce, and the Killer Queen loved using her GaGa kids to build statues and anything of that nature, so it added up. The wind was against them as they approached what Paul thought was a beach and a coastline, the New Cataclysm had removed whole landscapes and replaced them with huge seas and volcanoes, and beaches full of black sand. Many towns and cities swallowed up, but it was for the cause of GlobalSoft, a needed change of pace, so said his Teacher in GaGa School, one who frequented colloquial language at times. Paul was breathing more lightly now, keeping his head down. Scaramouche couldn't help but make some humour from the situation "I guess we were born to run, Gazza" she winked, making Galileo nod for a second "Trouble just seems to follow us" he bet, Scaramouche smirked and fixed her hair. Paul's head suddenly snapped up "The earthquake.." He said through bated breaths "What if that was the Super-Weapon? Spice Girls told me a similar thing happened at the GlobalSoft Tower" Galileo considered it, put a hand to his head, sighed, paced, and sat down again. "Maybe" was his only word. That distracted them, as the humming and shouting of Yuppie-Troopers began to rise, forcing an intrusion "Run!" Scaramouche instructed, the two boys did so immediately.

Above the crystal white building, the Innuendo-1-Class Cruiser 'The Caladrius' hovered in the atmosphere. It's sheer shadow utterly dwarfing any guard or servant girl below it. The design of a snow-white bird in flight, spreading its graceful wings adorned the bottom of the Destroyer-Style spacecraft, much like the design on the bottom of the Red Special, Drowse much preferred the Caladrius for its simplicity, just another cruiser, not the lumbering behemoth that the Red Special was and it's battering ram of a front bow. The Private Palace was sectioned off by black filming about nine foot high, with patrolling sentries and dogs, it resembled the capital building of the Unfree States, something the Killer Queen wanted done on purpose after a meeting with Grand Governor Underwood and Vizier-President Drumpf, the commander-in-chief of the Unfree States. Grand Governor Alexander-Jon Hanson was a unfeeling man, only living in the Palace for its strategic position, he did have all the answers, but no human touch. It's was as if he didn't have feelings to switch on, it would be a shame not to secure his backing now. A short pale girl had brought them refreshments on the Balcony, Drowse was clad in his normal dark grey suit, now with a white tie and his ceremonial gold Supreme Commander shoulder Pads, yet still having the logo of the 9th Fleet on his chest and his rank badge unchanged. Minister Kintyre had gone for a more impressive attire, a long fitting leopard-print dress with sharp jutting shoulders. Her hair was done up in a quiff with it flowing behind her at the back, much like a waterfall of grace. The pale girl retreated when Drowse laid eyes on her...making Hanson turn, he was wearing a black suit, a deep red shirt and a black patterned tie. His face was like a mask, threatening to droop off at any second, with tiny brown eyes and witheringly strong fingers. Hair was almost a faint hope for the man, Kintyre thought. What hair he had was wispy and a golden blonde, turning brown. Grimacing, Hanson continued speaking, his voice low and southern in nature "To have my trust is a fine thing, Prime Minister, I do not give it away that easily, I may have declared for you...but that means nothing in person, Sir" he said with a twitch, Drowse didn't at first respond, he had thought of something clever, no doubt. Yet he didn't say it, allowing Kintyre to speak instead "What will it take to convince you?" She blurted, running a hand through her falling hair. The Grand Governor was too silent, so Kintyre pressed the issue "You hold a large amount of air and ground vehicles, useful troops, and a name that has far more weight than it's given credit for" that broke his concentration, forcing him to respond, adjusting his rank insignia, which was simply a reversed and inverted Prime Minister rank plaque. "I have no use for them now, I grant you, they were meant for my Niece, but she is dead. As is her father, her mother, both of her brothers...and we do not know the fate of her children, if she had any" he smirked "But if I was to name an heir, all of that would change" Hanson suggested, making Drowse share his expression. "And to gain your trust and stand as your rightful heir...what would that require?" Drowse asked, Hanson looked him straight in the face, with hard determination "I want to see GlobalSoft Tower...with my own eyes"

Pop had barely recovered from the sight she witnessed mere hours ago, the world seemed to stop for those few seconds. Now her journey had to continue, to avenge the people of the Désespoir Region and heal the world, to let them know or was the time to strike against this new regime. Her friends and contacts in the Region must have been killed too, millions along with them, perhaps hundreds of millions due to the growing slave trading done there. But GlobalSoft wouldn't just waste recourses, perhaps in the days of the Killer Queen but this was a whole new beast to tame. The Killer Queen would display and dispatch Khashoggi and whatever Yuppie group he scrounge up before heading out to brazenly attack the HeartBreak Hotel, the HeartBreak had been seized by the Yuppies and was under the control of an Army General. The Monk's Walk had been foretold as a great and wise right of passage for many new Bohemians, she had worried if it could be crowded withe people wanting knowledge from them. The new Bohemians were children to Pop, but it had been remarkably easy it is too establish a group of highly loyal men and women, with great skills in smuggling, stealth and espionage. It had only taken a few days after the fall of GlobalSoft Tower to make what she assumed was now the best information holding and gathering information service on Planet Rock. Her black hair was almost sticking to her back in the heat, surely the weather would die down...the ground was still wet even now after the morning dew. Pop carried on, using her Binoculars to spot some small animals with large eyes and ears, looking back through her lenses something was moving, it looked like...a ship. Pop flinched when she saw a low-flying rectangular shaped craft, like a rectangle on it's side, with a small bridge viewport on the top of the rectangle, a shield projector dome mounted on the top...with double cannons on the bottom of the main body of the frigate, and a more powerful heavy twin-laser cannon mounted in its back. It was heavily armoured to deter pirate or rebel attacks, and a missile array was defending it's rear where two engines blew red energy. It wouldn't be on a patrol, it's far too big, even for a Frigate, Pop thought. It started to rise up in the air, Pop got down to the ground suddenly as the Freighter got up, just touching the clouds with it's dull grey and black colour scheme, resembling a monolith of normality. The engines flared and it flew up into the distance. The shadow of it was gone after a few more seconds, Pop pulled herself back to her feet, the road to the Monk's Walk was far more treacherous than she knew.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Longing

At last Eli was beside his master in some respect, stood beside a hologram of Drowse at a meeting table, Eli felt the warmth of his command for once. The visit to the Private Palace had taken far too long. The ivory black table they sat at was at most ten feet long, with five stunningly symmetrical shining black chairs that lined the table, with a throne-type seat that stood at each end, Drowse's hologram form was at one throne, and Brigadier-Admiral Curtis at the other. The ten figures seated were covered partially in shadow, Eli could make out General Rammstein, Admiral Waltz, Colonel Baxter, the hologram of the Red Special's supervisor Captain Powter, and a black-suited man, that seemed to be the head of Lieutenant Nuce's spy ring, the rest were faceless. Direct-Commander Cosmos was absent again, Eli made a note of it, yet his Super-Yuppies guarded the door, and Curtis was flanked by his red marked Yuppies and his two aids; Bekki and Myles. From Drowse's starting remarks, it would seem that he is aboard 'The Caladrius' and on route to the GlobalSoft Tower wreckage, per order of the Grand Governor. Apparently Minister Kintyre was giving Hanson a short tour of the ship, but she sends her regards. Drowse's hologram flickered as he looked to Captain Powter "Garret, what is the status of the Red Special's repairs?" Drowse inquired, with a more than friendly tone of phrase. The Captain stroked his chin and ran a hand along his grey hair, his holographic brown eyes scanning Drowse, of which the favour was returned. Powter cleared his throat "We have met our fuel capacity, weapons testing has come back clear, and the engineers are working on armour repairs as we speak" Powter chortled. Eli raised his eyebrows as an officer in grey spoke up in a deep yet pleasant voice, despite his words "I have heard differently Prime Minister, the Chief Engineer reports that the emergency booster engines were offline at the time of the tests Sir, and the Supervisor must ensure that all operations are online during a routine check, Sir" He said with a stern face, Powter responded to the accusation accordingly "That is a false rumour" those words seemed to put the matter to end, as Nuce's Steward leaned forward "There are more pressing matters, Sirs, the Unfree States, I have heard that the New Bohemian Government means to join with Wembley HQ" The Steward whispered, Rammstein touched his bald head "This alliance is dangerous, after the passing of Vizier-President Drumpf mere hours after the Killer Queen fell, who knows what the Bohemians will topple next? How many more establishments must fall?" He appealed, sounding like a father speaking to the headmaster, Colonel Baxter shifted in his seat "They are those among the Wembley Bohemians who believe that we have infiltrated their Council" a few snickers were heard when an Official with reddish-Brown hair spoke in a thick accent "Well at least they've got something right" He chuckled, Brigadier-Admiral Curtis glanced downwards and they looked up with a sly smirk, catching Drowse's attention "What say you, Simone?" Drowse asked, Eli was locking eyes with the Brigadier-Admiral's aids, Myles was a Sub-Sergeant and a former Deputy Chief of Staff for some Parliamentary Minister or another, Eli couldn't quite comprehend why he would pass that up for a eternity following that stick-insect with a flashy rank badge. Curtis shivered and replied "I have heard many things regarding the Bohemians, Supreme Commander, but my eyes have yet to see anything of significance among them...though rest assured, they still seem ignorant of the Désepoir Region"He insisted, Drowse nodded "You do me a good service, Brigadier-Admiral...I think you will prove most useful, Simone" Curtis smirked for a millisecond in response, before turning back to neutral .

"It's not a matter of if they reply, it's a matter of if they choose to join us" Khashoggi said to Jet, who was walking alongside him. They had been discussing the Unfree States Bohemian population possibly joining with the Wembley HQ Bohemians. Jet seemed inquisitive of his thoughts, and listened with interest as Khashoggi spoke of all the policy's and politics involved "Since the death of the Vizier-President, the Unfree States cracked down on it's transport regulations" He explained, Jet nodded along with his words. They walked through the camp of tents, and past the defence walls, under reconstruction by Cliff Richard and Boy George. Cliff mumbled as they sauntered past his work station, while watching Spice Girls lift a heavy block of cement. They walked for hours now, Jet not wanting to miss a second of Khashoggi's words. "Surely the Bohemians of the Unfree States recognise the importance of the situation" Jet offered to him, in a presumptuous tone. Khashoggi looked out past the wall and into the wasteland, before opening his eyes wide and keeping them at a respectable level to give Jet-Set a caring look "Please, Jet, the Bohemians are best as one, as best friends, as allies. We don't work well separated" He flexed his eyebrows "I doubt your leaders think that way" She dug, smirking. He knew how true that was, the supposed leaders of the Bohemians had fled towards the Capital, and the ever-knowing bookkeeper had gone and left no warning of where or why. Galileo and Scaramouche had agreed to accompany Sir Paul to find the instruments of Rock, while Pop went to the capital to find Brit and Meat, two girls he had forgot about. He quickened his pace through the training camp, catching a glimpse of Jackson Five sharpening and cleaning her short-sword, she had styled herself as an assassin, that much she was. Walking into the main stadium area, Jet took it in "The attack didn't reach in here...did it?" She gave a puzzled look, Khashoggi scratched his head, her questions reminded him of the Training camp in the capital, and the constant inquiry of Commodore Slash and Headmaster Sade "No, for some reason the Yuppie-Troopers fled while they held the advantage, an odd tactic, to say the least" he shrugged, but Jet understood. He shifted the conversation "Enough of this, I want to learn about you" he said, rounding his eyes to the ginger haired girl "-I'd appreciate it of ya didn't" She snarked at him, swirling around the grass of the stadium to face him. All he knew was that she came from the Unfree States, possibly, and she was a hungry one, hungry for information. Khashoggi smiled "How did you get here? Jet?" He inquired. She smiled back "I was sent by Ray Charles, Faction Leader of the Unfree States Bohemian population" That was the truth, Khashoggi thought, just a information gopher, a scout of sorts. GlobalSoft had little to no presence in the Unfree States now, after the dictator Drumpf was overthrown, and he knew that now the New Bohemian Government had set up some new state-of-the-art defences on land and in the air, using gun platforms manned by hundreds of men and women, and anti-air Ion Cannons, capable of demobilising any cruiser or aircraft that GlobalSoft could deploy, it was impregnable and a work of genius. What to think of Jet however, that was a whole other matter. She was a odd firecracker, he red dress making her resemble some dignitary, Khashoggi suddenly thought of a perfect question "Were you a GaGa Kid, Jet?" He raised a brown eyebrow, Jet-Set nodded "Yep-" he cut her off "What Devision?" She lowered her head and raised it confidently with an air of pride "Media Production" Khashoggi wasn't surprised by that "Propaganda, you mean?" Jet gave a sharp nod "If that's what you want to call it, then yes" She boasted. Khashoggi took the information in, just as she did the same to him.

Breakthru fired another three bolts of energy from his Q-10 rifle, only grazing the side of the hill the figures ran from, he was longing to catch them in whatever way he could, his small group of Yuppies backed him, with a blue-striped Captain at his side. The rebels wouldn't escape him this time, they darted through the tough grass and down a slope of dirt, when Breakthru and his thugs reached the slope, the three figures were running for another hill, so they opened fire. The skinny girl shot back with her twin pistols, bullets shot up the sand and left a smoke, injuring one of the Troopers, Breakthru saw the plan "They're going for the Canyon, cut them off!" He instructed, running down the slope with his blaster rifle in one hand. His Captain took what remained of the men across the gorge and along to the Canyon, trying to reach the point in time. Breakthru suddenly realised 'A straight is quicker than a corner' he grabbed at his communicator, but the thin girl shot it out of his hand "Shit" he mumbled, firing back carelessly, as the three fugitives were getting ever closer to the sandy incline. His Yuppie escort was useless, missing every blast. Breakthru fired a lucky shot that grazed the tallest of the three, making him stumble as they began the climb, Breakthru pulled out his Bo-Tool, turning it into a long railgun, with several attachments. The shorter boy had a go at firing upon them with a semi-automatic rifle, but to no avail, he then let loose a more deadly item. His guitar. That wave of destruction ripped up the sand and sent Breakthru stumbling back, his two Yuppie's were killed by the blast. Not wanting to morn, Breakthru fired his disrupter cannon, the blue laser hit the sand, creating a small wormhole that soon fizzed away, making the three Bohemians scarper up the hill,the tallest limping. Sighing, Breakthru found his communicator with a bullet hole in it, radioing in to his Captain, he got a simple response "We couldn't find them, Sir, they may be splitting up, my men have noticed paths in the hills, several leading away" He explained, Breakthru winced in disappointment "Very well, get back here" He ordered, making the Captain scoff "Sir?" Breakthru repeated the command "Get back here, now" He then flicked a switch on his belt, and turned the communicator off, then on again. "Agent, what is it?" The squeaky voice of Lieutenant Nuce piped through "We have the Bohemians on the run, Nuce, but they've split up just south of the Inter-Speed Train lines, next to Harley Street" he specified, Nuce chortled "Right, and what am I supposed to do with this information Breakthru? Lambert has told me not to report it to Drowse, he wanted to speak to you about-" Breakthru's brow furrowed when he saw the blue-striped Captain and his escort of four Yuppies clamber down the hill "I need a Light-Defence Cruiser to locate them, or a BKR-Class Freighter, something with scanning apparatus" Breakthru requested, to Nuce's general discomfort "You know I don't have clearance for that" He whined, keeping his voice low like a vulture watched over him "Then find someone who does.." Breakthru responded "Transmitting my coordinates now, I'll expect the Scanning ship in half an hour, otherwise I'll resume the foot chase, oh and if you're coming, get a Shuttle down here. Agent Out" he cut the transmission off with a sigh. The Captain shuffled next to him "Orders, sir?" He asked, Breakthru looked around, then saw...an indent in the sand, a footprint, not of regulation footwear like that of the Yuppies, an anomaly "Get a DNA kit, now!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Invulnerability

The armoured Freighter had pulled away from her, heading south. Pop drew her gun from her makeshift holster and advanced along the desert pathway, looking for the great valley that would lead the Monk's Walk. A flock of large grey seabirds were taking flight above her, their cries sounding like screaming victims, only making her think back to the Désespoir Region, she stumbled past some brambles and along the muddy dirt paths, hearing a seabird cry or a animal rustle, Pop had been walking with a tree branch as a support, something she took from a dying tree as a omen. The branch was curved and long, with sharp little spines along it, when Pop grasped it to support her she had to put her hand in such a way that the spines wouldn't prick her pale hand. The landscape was more dangerous than any Innuendo-1-Class Warship, the quicksand was thick and oddly coloured, Pop had to jab it every now and then with her staff to determine it's structure and stability. The long waits as F-22 Fighter Planes shot past on patrol seemed like hours, and the view of the menacing triangular and long Cruisers lurking in the distance. There were three of them dagger shaped warships hovering above what Pop assumed to be a trading post perhaps, or an base of operations. If she was a few years younger, she'd want to take a group of twenty good men and raid that base and hijack the cruisers, befuddling the simple-minded Sector-Command Staff, a balding Marshal or Grand-Captain, not now, however. The Sector-Command staff had been replaced by a juggernaut of a Light-Defence Battleship or an fleet of Attack Gunships and legions of Yuppies ready to seize any Bohemians. Attacks on them however had become more fleeting, yet swifter, more precise. The Killer Queen was lust and fury, Drowse was calm and analytical. His mind was evil, no doubt, but he considered himself to be doing the right thing, some form of justice to the terrorists that toppled governments and indoctrinated millions. Pop was the one to send the Power of Rock to each GaGa Kid, and convert them all at once; an instant army. Since then, her instant army had ripped apart the establishment, leading to the deaths of major men and women like Vizier-President Drumpf, High Colonel Foster, Prince-Commander Nath-Kovindi and Chancellor-General-Führer Randolph Ither. Pop had been proud of the work done by the Bohemians, but should the rules be reversed, the deaths of thousands of armed and unarmed workers in GlobalSoft factories and Comm-Towers wouldn't look good at all, by any standards. After what seemed and appeared like days, Pop finally reached a clearing, it could be a Mirage, she didn't want to even consider that. A perfect collection of small green hills with wooden doors on the outside, with fishing piers and benches made from fallen tree trunks, a perfectly peaceful image, exactly what Pop feared, the clouds almost parted as rays of sunlight flickered onto it. Pop staggered towards the brown wooden fences when she suddenly collapsed onto herself. The last thing she witnessed was a group of four cream robed figures silently stalking towards her, then she saw nothing.

The rubble looked worse than she saw in the HoloBanks, Kintyre thought. Could that little black ball do all this? The GlobalSoft Tower had stood for decades without incident, a home to hundreds of workers, GaGa kids, Officers and security Yuppies, and now, rubble. She understood why Hanson wanted to see it; the news would barely had reached his ears from his seat at the Private Palace. Luckily his own group of guards protected him, a company of 30 tall and bulky grey creatures, Aliens, all the Killer Queen's extensive searching, she had finally yielded results. Of course, the GlobalSoft Space Program headed by High Marshal Aldrin was officially closed, clearly not. Hanson's guards were heavily built, with thin armour made of the most basic fabrics and metals, with two swords on each hip, and a machete slung across their backs. Kintyre had asked one of Hanson's Captains, a respectable Yuppie designated YC-1014, they spoke in one of the information relay rooms, next to a console "Yeah, The Killer Queen first met those freaks, apparently they follow her relations, or something. That's why Hanson has such goodcommand over them" He grunted "They're lead by a guy called Lo-Rett, some real warrior from their Red Planet" The Captain refused to say a word more when Kintyre asked another question, The Captain simply grumbled, took his weapon and moved on down the corridor. Kintyre strode down the executive halls of the cruiser to reach the Central Viewpoint, just west of the Command Bridge stationed high above the cruiser's bow. When she entered, one of Hanson's Servants was distributing drinks among the Grand Governor, Drowse, a Sub-Commander and a Senior Captain called Walsh. The Grand Governor heard her enter "Arlene, please, join us" He invited, Drowse gave a subtle frown and tiny shake of his head. Kintyre raised a hand slowly "No please, this evening is yours" She offered, but Hanson insisted "Come, come. Enjoy our view" He glanced out the window at the ashes of The GlobalSoft Tower...making Kintyre wince to herself. The Sub-Commander gave Hanson a pleasantry "My condolences, Sir, your niece was kind but-" Hanson's eyes flicked over to the glazed man "A Whore, she was a whore and a bitch, it did me good to watch Cosmos's Death Ball blow her to pieces" He remarked, Drowse turned his head in disbelief, Senior Captain Walsh gave an awkward laugh "You...I'm sure the Grand Governor was just-" He was halfway before Hanson singled him out now too "A shame her lapdogs like you still exist to dream of her memory, while men like Drowse here...they are the builders the future" He proclaimed, Kintyre couldn't believe her own ears as Hanson studied the wrecker below "Did you oversee the construction of this tower, Prime Minister" The Supreme Commander shook his head while Hanson's red striped Yuppies removed Walsh and the Sub-Commander. "I was witness to the planning, the Queen's personal Shadow Council did a truly monolithic job" Drowse said with a slight leer. The metallic door opened and a officer in a white blazer and black trousers appeared, wearing a black cap to match, he had the rank of a rather trivial Loyalty Officer, he was flanked by the Intelligence Devision's signature Super-Yuppies, and carried a tablet in his left hand "Prime Minister, the Innuendo-1 Cruisers you commissioned are in position and awaiting orders, I've had word from the Supervisors of 'Bloodhound' and 'Black Stag' and they are ready to engage" The Intelligence Officer lifted his green-blue eyes as Drowse smiled "Very well, have Captain Talon meet me in the War Room, my campaign...begins now"

Aretha set down his glasses, patted a large book, and hit his knuckle twice on the table, as he always did. Then he chuckled as Khashoggi stood in front of him, hands together. Khashoggi was waiting for Aretha to finish his letters, and get the conclusive message that they have been sent, Bob The Builder had been tasked to use what remained of Pop's spies to dispatch the letters. Waiting with his fingers now drumming on the table beside him and Puff Daddy watching from a chair near the entrance, Aretha finally said something "I saw you with that new girl this morning" He announced at a whisper, Khashoggi was shocked by that, he didn't expect the reedy scholar to even involve himself in such a matter as who Khashoggi was speaking with. After a small eyebrow raise, Khashoggi responded "Jet is a...desired taste, granted, she's not for everyone" They were interrupted by Bob, walking in with a large bag strapped to his back and a posture like a workhorse, he grunted as he threw the bag down with a slam "All the letter have been delivered, and my Spies tell me that it'll take a few hours, or even days, for them to be received" He nodded to Aretha as Boy George and Spice Girls entered the tent. Khashoggi didn't ask Jet-Set where she was staying, assuming she'd be in one of the many coloured tents surrounding Wembley, but he was very surprised to find that she was staying in the private apartments closer to the main Stadium, as Spice Girls had told him. She had a strange invulnerability, a fire and fierceness that he couldn't control, and she had no end of argument fuel and questions. Khashoggi took a seat at one of the armchairs alongside Aretha's desk, Boy George gave him a deadly glance. Khashoggi simply ignored it "What's the status on GlobalSoft's movements?" His question was open ended, evident as Bob took first shot at the answer "I've seen a few patrolling gunships, and my spies say that GlobalSoft is moving their Star-Cruisers across the sea to rally in two unknown locations" He recalled, Drowse's work, no doubt. Khashoggi waited for Aretha to contribute, after some silence, he did "Well.." He studied his charts and maps "Vice-Admiral Harper has moved his cruisers above the Capital of the HighLeaf Trail, that Region is still held by GlobalSoft, despite the Unfree States recent attacks, Grand Governor Trindeau still holds dominion-" Khashoggi sighed and pushed the papers away, making Aretha frown "I want to know about-" Before he could finish, Boy George butted in "What about Brit and Meat? Any word from our Capital?" George pleaded, Aretha shook his small head "No, they've completely fried the information channels, I think they called it a 'Flash Signal' it disrupts all Comms in the effected area" He slid his glasses back along and onto his face with disappointment, Puff Daddy offered her own conclusion after a noise of understanding "Yeah, the area being the Capital, that's how we didn't hear about that Device that destroyed the GlobalSoft tower until Spice Girls told us!" Spice Girls nodded at her reasoning, and gave his lofty strong gaze to Puff Daddy, and smiled at her. He had become much more silent and solemn since he first arrived at the Wembley HQ, and Khashoggi had no idea why, however, Boy George had become more radical, insisting that they started to make spaceships and new weapons. Being against this, Aretha tried to calm him, but he continued. So Commander Khashoggi issued an order in sending Boy George outside so they could confer in peace, and mention more sensitive topics such as the lost Flash-Drive Khashoggi found, and then lost. Cliff Richard was entering as Khashoggi listened to Aretha's rambles, but he didn't stay, consoling Boy George as he threw himself from the tent.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Chance

"I can't see them...they haven't followed us" Paul observed from his lookout post at the top of the hill, his hand covering his brow for a better view against the sunlight, Galileo was motionless on a bank of raised grass, sitting in it, his guitar along his back. They had confirmed that the earthquake was caused by the Super-Weapon after some debate, and thanks to Scaramouche and her memory, she had heard of several private news-feeds detailing a large construction project from the Micro-Transceiver she took from Galileo's head during 'The Adventure of Rock' as they called it. Paul knew that a figure called 'Drowse' was leading the charge, as Khashoggi had referenced him many times. Scaramouche was looking over the bank when Paul jumped and hopped down like a spring rabbit "Looks like about twenty Troopers, and that Agent..." Scaramouche said with disdain, a twinge of anger in her hazel brown eye as she handed the binoculars back to Paul. Galileo was careful but ready, waiting for the next move. Consulting a small map Paul had drawn in the creamy dry sand, he poked at with a twig when Paul snatched it from his hand "No freelance sketches Galileo, this is serious, if you want to get out of here, we'll need this map" Paul warned, outlining a basic plan while Scaramouche descended to eye-level "Now, I know these beaches, we'll need to follow the old roads until we reach a Port or Ship Depot, there we can find a craft to escape in, it'll be easier to get to the Capital once we have a transport" He advised, Scaramouche disagreed "We can't just stroll down the road, the moment a Gunship or fighter patrol sees us we'll be toast! We've gotta take this lightly" Galileo smiled at her fierceness and admired it, during their first adventure together Galileo was always in awe of her, and that hadn't changed a bit, despite Aretha and Jackson Five advising against it, Galileo had feelings for her, somewhere. By now the sun was almost reaching the middle of the sky, and Scaramouche and Paul's bickering had reached a fine compromise, they would take the same route, yet they would be 23 miles west of the road, as to avoid any Yuppie entanglements. Paul was staggering with his bottles and boxes of supplies strapped to his back, and the empty Shotgun taken out of the Mail Office, Scaramouche was carrying light; her pistols made most the bulk on her body. Galileo watched his shoes take step after step, taking in the post-apocalyptic landscapes a few miles from the road, which according to Paul had some Inter-Speed Train line running down below it, which was the reason why the road was still so well preserved. Scaramouche scanned the surroundings "There's a forest up ahead, just past those hills" She pointed, making Paul scratch his chin and ponder "I'll need to get in contact with a friend of mine, he should be able to get us the Transport we need to speed us to the capital" Paul turned to Galileo, who didn't respond. He only hoped Brit and Meat were aware of what was happening, they were smart, surely they would have come looking for Wembley once GlobalSoft Tower was destroyed, he didn't want to keep thinking about it, it would drive him mad. They made it to a small river at the edge of the Tree-line around the forest, and Paul fiddled with his bag, before slinging it down in frustration, he opened it up and checked the spare Transceiver again...luckily Scaramouche didn't throw it away. The small thumb-sized device was vibrating "What does that mean?" Galileo said with curiosity "Direct signal" Scaramouche's tone wasn't as innocent. A slicing rectangle covered in satellites and weapons hovered above them, making the trees blow back with the force of it's humming and glowing engines, as they got low down to avoid its searchlight, it soon became clear that it wasn't searching for them. A couple of seconds later, a crystal white craft slid over them, two wide wings coming from it's side with a long dorsal fin on it's top, flanked by three F-22 Fighter Planes. The freighter and the shuttle moved along at a steady pace and slowly lowered itself once the ship got behind the sandy valley. Paul swallowed his fear "let's keep moving..." He nagged at a low pitch, Galileo rushed a nod "Good idea"

The Turbo-Lift climbed another 15 floors, Eli's eyes were fixed on the moving white button and it's continued beeping. He was stood with three Yuppies, a Naval Captain and a well-dressed Sub-Commander who's according to his constant yapper, he's only recently arrived from the Capital by shuttle. Eli was on his way to the War Room to meet Colonel Baxter and General Rammstein, the Capital has been put on full lockdown by order of Grand Governor Hanson, the Captain muttered to the Yuppies. Hanson had received word from Curtis that two highly important Bohemian fugitives were hiding in the Capital, security was upped and a fleet of four Innuendo-1-Class Starships sent by Grand Admiral Russo of the Unfree States were sent to provide backup. The lift was still climbing as the long faced Captain spoke to the rather ignorant Sub-Commander "If the Final Annihilator is so powerful, why doesn't Drowse just target the Bohemian HQ and let it loose? We know where they are. That would solve all of our problems" The Sub-Commander snorted, Eli rolled his blue eyes, the Captain beside him shook his head "No no no, you don't understand, Drowse has something special planned for them, the Super-Weapon is only used a motivator" The Captain continued as Eli was forced to listen. The Yuppies of course seemed engrossed in the conversation "Drowse knows what he's doing, but until his campaign is finished the Capital remains shutdown, Hanson wants to use it as his own base of operations" The Captain said in a grovelling voice, the Sub-Commander stroked his chin and grunted, he as about to release another bigoted statement when the Turbo-Lift doors opened for floor 202 and Eli slipped out, the Captain hit another button with a tanned finger and the lift shot up again. Eli thought that by now the Red Special had moved away from the refuelling facility and was making its way to join with the 9th Fleet and Curtis's Squadron. Admiral Waltz had returned to HMS Griffin after a dispute with Captain Powter, supposedly over the quality of their own vessels and the required availability to Drowse's plans. The Fleet surrounding the Final Annihilator was put there by Admiral Roc-Montreal, as a gift of good faith to Drowse. Once passing a company of Yuppies, Eli finally made it to the War Room. Entering, Colonel Baxter was standing alone in front of a table of Holograms, when Eli stepped inside, the Colonel was leaning forward over the clear blue field, his face was a incredulous mix of knowledge and concern, Eli looked over the holograms on the table, two Innunedo-1-Class cruisers were hovering over two separate locations, as figures and statics scrawled by like some long forgotten text, on another hologram, tiny images of Drowse, two ship's Captains and what looked like a Surface Marshal and a High Warlord, both crossed out in red. Baxter turned to Eli "Mr Lambert, I regret to inform you that General Rammstein will not be attending, he was called away by Lieutenant Nuce sometime ago" Colonel Baxter relayed, Eli simply shrugged "What's the situation here?" He asked, Baxter drew his attention to a Data-Tablet "Drowse had put two of his best ships in position above two frankly minor locations...so far I'm unable to raise him on Comms, I was hoping you'd be having better luck" He suggested, Eli wanted to say yes, but he couldn't. Drowse had been radio-silent for about two days now, surely Grand Governor Hanson and Minister Kintyre weren't that distracting, he knew Drowse would be focused on his campaign and his endless string of plans, the placement of these two cruisers was a definite part of it; whatever he intended to do with them. The blonde haired boy simply shook his head quickly "No, Sir, the Prime Minister has been silent with me too" Eli muttered, Baxter didn't respond. Moving around the hologram table, Eli noticed that the cruiser weren't moving, simply hovering above. What were they waiting for? As if by chance, Baxter highlighted the hologram placement of the of the two ships,they were in direct position above moderately successful towns, Eli noted. So far, the ships had done nothing...Eli traced the table with his hand, as Baxter mumbled under his white moustache "What's your move, Drowse"

The move had been played, Zappa ran from her home, dragging her younger brother from their makeshift studio. They had been Bohemians since the beginning, forming a alliance with Brit and Meat, helping too keep the Heartbreak out of reach, and too preserve their survival. But today would be different, the day started as it always did now the world was free with them, they provided a service called 'The Prince's Podcast' a radio station all Bohemians listened too, much better than that slop on Radio GaGa, Zappa thought. The station was mostly used to pump music and other items of importance to all the New Bohemians to keep them fighting and singing along to the sounds of the new rule. Zappa had heard the Raid Siren and seen the radars from the radio station, but assumed it was just a 19-77 Transport Ship, not the heavily manned and imposing wedge-shaped frame of the 1,500 mile long Innuendo-1-Class cruiser, the bulky main capital ship of Drowse's Confederation, the rumours of several other highly ranking GlobalForce officials getting involved was inevitable, and since Zappa ran a news station with several inside sources, she could easily theorise and locate different stories and rumours, and piece them together. So far, her crime-board in her bedroom had several different strands, linking high ranking democrats and military leaders to operations taking place now and years ago, Zappa was calm and logical. but now she was panicked, running from the radio station when the shadow of the cruiser first reared it nose, Zappa and her brother took to the alleyways and streets, making for their house. People cried and fled in the streets, the shop vendors had bashed their own stalls and ran for cover or simply into the distance. At the time Zappa was making an alert for the recent appearance of a Fahrenheit-2-Dreadnought cruiser over ColdHand Island, and the recent appearance of a larger fleet surrounding the HighLeaf Trail. The report was halfway through being aired before the proximity sensors went wild all of a sudden, the Bohemian city guard scrambled but found all communications off and unable to be repaired. Zappa was short, with deep brown hair and a striking green streak on her small fringe, the small slum-like town was on a surrounding border of a larger city and political complex, dull green and grey eyes, and a almost cute facial structure, she was dressed in a dark green tank top, and black leather jacket, she wore ripped jeans and knee high combat boots on her bottom half. The island they lived on was a former farming hive for GlobalSoft; despite the famine's across its jagged history. Her brother was smaller and younger, wearing a red sweater and a slightly more formal set of trousers, he had never found a Bohemian Name, so simply went by "Otto" due to the first four digits of his GaGa Identity Code; O770GSIC, the long triangle-shaped shadow loomed above them, Otto held onto Zappa's sleeve "What now Sister? Are we..will we-" He spluttered, Zappa's eyes snapped to him "No, we'll be fine, let's just...the ship yard" Her mind found the solution, she dragged Otto along the concrete as everyone around her panicked while the Innuendo-1-Class cruiser did nothing. Merely sitting and waiting in shadow, Zappa had spoken to Scaramouche from the Capital during the old times of the Killer Queen, before the chance encounter and the defeat of GlobalSoft High Command, she had personally witnessed the shaming and death of High Colonel Foster, the Sector-Command staff running the Nation's Head Office at Storm's Mount. The local parliamentary Committee had fled away, leaving her to be surrounded by New Bohemians who once served her, savagely beaten, stripped, and beaten again. A few days later, she was found dead in the street, with several stab wounds. Zappa had to make that her first ever report from Radio Rock. Zappa's voice was now part of a new age, and she'd hate to see that extinguished today. Passing a friend of hers called Moonie, she gestured in admiration to him "Where are you going?" He said in a thick accent, reaching for her wrist, Zappa wrenched it away from him "We're leaving on a Jet Plane, don't know when we'll be back again...but we need to get out of here" She said with courage, inspiring her brother Otto who nodded. Moonie could've joined them, but had some odd and brutal vendetta to end with a shopkeeper before he left. Otto watched the plain faced boy make a run for the market as everyone else ran the other way. The ship yard was in sight as Zappa started to think, why was that Cruiser holding above them? They wouldn't be releasing any aggression; the Désespoir Region was an example of that. An attack on Wembley HQ almost crippled the Bohemian Leadership, but that was seen as show of strength, so it wouldn't make a impression that's already been made on the GlobalSoft Parliament and the Intelligence Devision, Zappa stopped. Otto stopped as he was forced too, not wanting to let go of her sister's hand "What's it doing?" He asked with a innocent glare up at the Cruiser...Zappa didn't know for sure "I think it's preparing for something" For what Zappa had no idea. The Cruiser had let go no Shuttle, Landing Craft, Fighter Plane Detachment, Infiltrator Drones or Probes. Zappa looked up as she pulled Otto to the Ship Yard, tossing a coin to the guardsman, still standing at his post after a good few hours of preparation and panic. The Cruiser suddenly began to move, downwards, it didn't cut or destroy anything...until a few seconds later. Zappa could've left in a ship by now, but she didn't, almost too anxious to see what the Cruiser would do. But what it finally did would change this town forever. An absolute horde of green heavy laser fire began to obliterate the concrete, buildings and people. The emerald laser beams had enough power to take out a whole Truck full of men in one blast. The devastation wasn't even enough for Otto, he cowered onto Zappa as she saw a local boy shredded in one shot, the bolts tore through buildings, the guard was killed in a sudden moment by a stray blast, Zappa had to choose now, Save her brother "Run! I'll pilot the ship!" She ordered to him, Otto ran, he let down the ramp of the small pod-like circle ship nearest to him and clambered in, just as he did, a green blast exploded it into a million pieces. Throwing Zappa back, she couldn't feel sad or angry or broken for a moment as she hit the cracked concrete with a smack. Zappa's thoughts were on her brother as a green flash and white hot light filled her next.


End file.
